Port of Spain: Sport and Community Development Minister, the Hon. Shamfa Cudjoe, presented winners of the national small, medium and hydroponics categories of the Grow It Yourself (GIY) challenge today, (Wednesday 16th September, 2020) at the Ministry of Sport and Community Development head office, Nicholas Tower, Port of Spain. The GIY challenge was a national competition held from June 8th to July 30th, 2020 under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Best Village Unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. The aim was to stimulate interest in home gardening within communities.

In her laudations, Minister Shamfa Cudjoe stressed the importance of food security and growing fresh and healthy food. “I am deeply impressed and elated by the number of young persons who participated in this project. The response by the national community demonstrates that persons understand the plethora of benefits that can be derived from possessing their own kitchen garden.”

Minister Cudjoe said that this project was meant “to prompt our citizens to embrace agriculture and to encourage families to utilize home gardening as a means of achieving home food security, getting the right nutrients on the plate and in our diet, right at your doorstep and kitchen window.” Minister Cudjoe stated that the project will be extended throughout the year, and not just during the Best Village competition period. According to the Community Development Minister “this competition is really a great way to reduce our own food bill in our home.” She thanked the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries for their support and noted that, “it is not only about using our own inhouse programmes to build communities but also to use projects such as this one to get all parts of government whether Agriculture, Education, Innovation, Trade and Technology into communities in making them more sustainable and improving the quality of life for all”.

Ms. Ariana Persad, winner of the medium category shared that the competition was the impetus for her kitchen garden and she has continued with the garden because of how much she enjoys it. Zaria Greene and Brandon Murphy, winners of the small and hydroponic categories also received their prizes today. Mr. Israiell Ali, national winner of large, most innovative and most sustainable was unable to attend. Given restrictions, only the national first place winners participated in the ceremony.