Plant, eat, run

Run For Food is the second in a series of events organised by the World Food Day National Committee in recognition of World Food Day (WFD) 2017. WFD is held annually on October 16 and this year’s theme is Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.

Yolande Agard-Simmons, member of the Committee, and Head of Communications and Events at the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, said Run For Food was Trinidad and Tobago’s version of the Hunger Run.

Hosted by Massy Stores and the committee with support from the Agriculture Ministry, the event will also include an aerobic burn out and a farmers’ market.

Giving details, Agard-Simmons said the Ministry would have a booth to provide persons with seedlings, Massy Stores suppliers would provide samples of their products, NAMDEVCO will be there supplying complementary fresh fruit salads, and from 1 pm, produce would be on sale at the farmers market.

“There are three reasons why we are going this. Firstly, to sensitise the population to grow food for themselves, to encourage them to demand locally grown food to stimulate local production, and to encourage the population to est nutritious food to help them live healthy lives,” she explained.

Agard-Simmons said registration costs $60 and a significant portion of the money would be donated to charitable organisations including the United Way and the Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life. People can register online at raceroster.com, or register someone as a gift.

Massy Stores representative, Anthony Choo Quan, said his organisation found the run to be a good fit as Massy was the largest retailer of food in the nation.

Also because the one of the aims of the race was to sensitise the public of how important it is for people to feed themselves.

“It is important for us to support local production, to support local farmers. Since we are the largest retailer, we service the industry by selling a lot of local produce and manufactured products. It is also a great CSI initiative to help inform and encourage the every citizen to grow food,” he said.

Choo Quan said the world’s population was growing so food production should too, and that food security was important for every nation. He added that if people do not support local farmers, thereby providing a demand, the farmers would not continue to grow food.

“If every country does their part, or can produce food to feed themselves, then we would not have an issue” he said.

While Run For Food was the second committee initiative, the first was the Plant Torch in which seven primary schools with active 4-H Clubs participated. A balata seedling was given a school and the club members were given instruction for the care of the plant.

The students kept and cared for the plant for several days and then it was passed on to another school.

Agard-Simmons said not only did the Plant Torch teach children how to take care of plants, but the passing of the plant represented the sharing of the responsibility of achieving the goal of food security.

This year, the schools that participated included Valencia South Government Primary, Hokett Baptiste Primary, Exchange RC, Cedros Government Primary, Siparia Hindu (SDMS) Primary, St Thomas Mayaro Primary, and Sisters Road Anglican Primary.

The balata seedling would be planted at the Botanical Gardens on April 5.

Agard-Simmons said the students were very happy to be part of the second annual Plant Torch.

“It helps children to be more aware of, and have a greater appreciation for what belongs to us,” she said.

Other WFD activities would include competitions (poster, essay, art, photo, quiz, home gardening, etc), field trips, exhibitions, seminars and panel discussions.