By Mr. M. Creary
My involvement with Dr. Sylvia Mitchell started in 1993 whilst I was working with the Hillside Agriculture Project (HAP), Agroforestry Project, being implemented by the Department of Forestry and Soil Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture. I worked in the HAP as an Agro-Forester in the Glengoffe and Harker’s Hall Communities in the Rio Pedro Valley area of the upper Rio Cobre Watershed. My role and function was to arrange a series of meetings in these communities to “Inform, Educate, and Solicit” the farmers, schools and other stakeholders to participate in the planting of tree crops, namely timber and fruit trees.
Another component of the Project was to establish plant nurseries to produce plant seedling from local plants, and the training of farmers and youth in the production, distribution, and planting of these seedlings to complement those we purchased from the Government and private nurseries; Jippie jappa straw and pineapple plants were used to enhance the Soil Conservation aspect where necessary.
It was during this phase of the project that we were influenced by Dr. Mitchell, who was doing scientific research on medicinal plants, to intercrop various plants such as ackee and cinnamon with herbs and spices she had developed using tissue culture.
After the (HAP) Agro-Forestry Sub-Project was finished, in 1993, The Content United Young and Community Club that operated the plant production holding and distribution nursery for the Project, was merged with other Farmers Groups, Youth Clubs, and Schools Environment clubs in the Project area to establish The Rio Pedro Valley Watershed Management and Development Council, with the assistance of The Forestry Department, St. Catherine Parish SDC, JAS, RADA, and The Biotechnology Center – Medicinal Plants Research Group at UWI Mona, under the leadership and tutelage of Dr. Mitchell.
TISSUE CULTURE PINEAPPLE FARMING
In 2006, a Tissue Culture Pineapple training
programme was established in the Glengoffe, Above Rocks, and Harker’s Hall Communities (the RPV Watershed), and a Research Demo plot was established in Cassava River, Glengoffe.
The Farmers and the Youths were so motivated and infused after receiving training how to harden the tissue culture pineapple plants at the Glengoffe Secondary (now High School). This resulted in the establishing of a sustainable Agro-Herbal Plants Production and Training Nursery at Pindar River, Harker’s Hall, funded by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.
Tissue Culture Pineapple became the most popular plant amongst the Farmer Youth Students and other Associate Group Sponsors and Stakeholders.
Many farmers and non-traditional farmers and youths, and students planted hundreds of Tissue Culture Pineapple throughout the Watershed and other communities, which has become a very unique Soil Conservation and resourceful income-generating venture in RPV Watershed and elsewhere.
MEDICINAL PLANTS GENE BANK AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL
This has led us after a thirty-years proven and successful partnership with Dr. Mitchell and the Biotechnology Center, UWI, Mona to initiate, in association with The Jamaica 4H Clubs – St. Catherine Office, and the Parish JAS and RADA, to launch a Medicinal Plants Gene Bank at the New Mt. Industry Primary School.
Also, it has inspired and led us to launch our Youth Yam Farmers Training Programme (YYFTP) in the Rio Pedro Valley, backed by scientific research using tissue culture, for the development and economic advancement of our Yam Farmers, as we find ways and means to put security in our food in Jamaica.
