The GARD Center recently gave a tour of the ‘soon to be open’ Nature Center to friends and members of the Mill Reef Fund. Some of the young people of Mill Reef have shown an interest in the programmes offered by the GARD Center. In picture below, Executive Director, center, surrounded by Mill Reef Fund guests.
In addition, the Center received a special gift from a newlywed couple, who married in the USA in 2013. They asked their guests who would have been interested, to make donations to the the Mill Reef Fund to be designated to the GARD Center instead of buying gifts for their wedding.
The GARD Center sincerely wishes to thank this couple for their generous donation and wish them many years of happiness as they share their lives together.
GARD Center recognised by the Chefs of Antigua
For the past three months Chefs of Antigua has been broadcast on Antigua Broadcasting Services (ABS) the local TV station, every Thursday at 6:30 pm. Chefs from all over the island have been showing the general public how to prepare great healthy food. For the final episode of the first season, there was a 60 minute Christmas Special titled “Christmas at Curtain Bluff with Chefs of Antigua.”
During this special, two community leaders were honoured for their outstanding leadership and service in specific fields. Chefs of Antigua wanted to acknowledge the work done at the GARD Center and invited the Executive Director to be a recipient of the Chefs of Antigua Community Service Award.
The presentation was held at Curtain Bluff. Bernadette David of Hutchinsons (sponsors) presented the Chefs of Antigua community award plaque.
In the featured picture, Mrs. Roberta Williams (R) receives Chefs of Antigua Award from Representative of Sponsor, (L).
Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Livelihoods
6th ANNUAL CARIBBEAN CONFERENCE
Two young entrepreneurs were selected to represent the GARD Center at this important regional conference which was held in Jamaica, from 9 – 11 December 2013. The Antiguan Delegation of Mr. Winston Laville and Ms. Waszara Mack were part of a four (4) member panel who represented our country in the panel discussion, Youth Entrepreneurs: Young Agripreneurs – Lessons Learnt: Challenges, Successes and the way Forward.
Issues discussed included the challenges faced by youth in setting up businesses; successes gained through steadfastness and diligence, and the accomplishment of goals. Also discussed was the ‘way forward’ stepping stones for the future, and the importance of the Caribbean people networking with each other to assure produce circulates among the region for the betterment of trade.
Mrs. Melida Harris – Barrow, President of the NIC-ETH Productions and AfroLatinoMagazine, offered free advertisement to the entrepreneurs who were present, giving them an opportunity to advertise themselves and their respective businesses worldwide.
Other panel discussions covered interesting topics, such as, advancing food security, women entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education to name a few. After each session, there was a Questions and Answers section.
The Field Dialogue Research was set up so that three groups: one group to the market place in Linstead, the other in Bog Walk and the third group visited a farm. Each group conducted a survey of the entrepreneurs they met to better understand more about them. Why they chose that type of business and how they started their business were some of the questions asked during the research. After such, each group had to analyse the information, discuss among themselves and make a group presentation of their findings.
After that event there was a field trip at a broiler farm which was a huge and fully mechanised facility which houses thousands upon thousands of birds. The facility didn’t have any birds, for they were cleaning up for the next batch of birds to come in. On investigation of the farm, it was found that the bird’s faeces are collected and sold to farmers as manure. This inspired the livestock farmers who were present on the trip.
Also there were goat and pig pens, which housed the biggest pigs ever in those pens on the farm. They also had a crop section where they planted corn, pigeon peas, sorrel and pineapple.
On the final day of the conference, those present were exposed to a competition going on offering grant funding for proposals that demonstrate exceptional potential impact on the environment. Concepts of the fund include, sustainable agribusiness, water management, (including waste water), energy efficiency solar energy and resource use. The day’s proceedings ended with the sale of exhibition items and the taking of pictures, while the night ended with a highly anticipated dinner and award ceremony.
