The Portland branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), is partnering with Windsor Forest All-Age School in the parish, to promote agriculture in schools and generate interest in farming among students.

In an interview with JIS News, Thelma Williams, JAS parish manager for Portland, said the programme began in September of last year and is being conducted as a pilot project, which if successful, would be extended to other schools in the parish.

The crops being cultivated at Windsor Forest are: cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper, pak choi, callaloo, lettuce, pumpkin and red peas.

The project is operated by students and staff of the school, and the products are sold to the surrounding communities, with the surplus used in its feeding programme.

Miss Williams said the seeds were donated by Food For the Poor to the JAS, which in turn gave them to the school, in addition to a number of tools, for the implementation of the programme.

She expressed pleasure at the progress of the farm, and noted that it would reinforce the message of the JAS to Jamaicans to eat more of the food that is grown locally.

Principal of the school, Verona Valentine, said the school was thankful to the JAS for the help it had provided to implement the project.

She said it was generating a great deal of interest among the students, and pointed out that their involvement in its operation was assisting their learning in a number of subject areas.