Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 18, 2021 (SKNIS): According to Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Kyle Flanders, the ministry is trying to encourage different types of farming through the Backyard Garden Project.
“We want persons to lean more into protective farming, vertical farming. So, if you cannot farm across, you go up,” he said. “So you take your hydroponic technology, you can use that on a roof or landing if you’re in the urban areas.”
Mr. Flanders noted that in some metropolitan areas farmers have large gardens on top of their buildings. He added that through the competition, he is hoping that the urban areas would include more vertical farming, hydroponic farming, and aquaponics.
He stated that backyard gardening has been a part of the nation’s culture, but some persons have a negative view of it. He said that through the project they are trying to change that.
“So we are trying to change all of that. We are trying to get persons’ hands back into the soil, get back to the healthy eating,” he said. “…So we want to push that aspect of farming with the Backyard Garden Competition so that you know that if you want to save money that is how to do so, if you want to eat healthily, that is how to do so.”
The Assistant Secretary said that the ministry is trying to get all hands on deck in terms of growing the agriculture sector. -30-
