GARD Center would like to thank Andy Wetherill of Zemotec Inc. for the kind contribution of funds for Agricultural Equipment which was donated to the Pares Secondary School’s Agricultural Department. Pares Secondary School’s Agri-Science teachers and students will benefit from this equipment as they will now be able to plant and maintain a thriving garden into the foreseeable future.
GARD Center GEF Small Grants Programme project themed : “Increasing food security by reducing the impact of drought and improving security.” practical training on field visit to Blaire Christian’s Backyard Garden in Bolans April 20, 2023
GARD Center GEF Small Grants Programme project themed : “Increasing food security by reducing the impact of drought and improving security.” practical training on field visit to Birchfield Osborne’s Backyard Garden in McKinnons, May 9, 2023
Composting Demonstration with Facilitator Ms. Efuru Elihu, a Backyard Gardening Technician in the Ministry of Agriculture
The Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center (GARD Center) recently received funding from its partner the GEF Small Grants Programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme for the project: “Increasing food security by reducing the impact of drought and improving security.”
This 8-month project officially began on 6 February 2023 and will be completed in October 2023.
Focus of the project emphasizes these main areas:
· To increase public awareness about Climate Smart and sustainable Agricultural technology and approaches, by producing and distributing brochures.
· Training Workshops will be conducted using Climate Smart Agricultural Practices.
· Repair and upgrade current hydroponics unit and to construct secured fencing around its perimeter.
· To increase production of crops locally adapted ground provisions such as sweet potatoes and cassava varieties.
Beekeeper Instructor teaching students about the hive and the queen. This was a project undertaken by the non-profit GARD Center and sponsored by Mill Reef Fund of Antigua & Barbuda.
The Center has
successfully completed 14 weeks of training in Community Climate Smart
Agriculture with special focus on Business, Backyard Gardening and Hydroponics.
This training sponsored by the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) focused on
the communities of the North, East Marine Management Area (NEMMA). The course
commenced on 31st May 2022 with sessions held every Tuesday –
Thursday from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. at GARD Center.
The latter part of the training encouraged
participants to engage in practical, hands-on training and field visits were
made to Hydroponics Farms and Backyard Gardens. The practical components also saw
persons constructing raised beds, a compost bin, and a Mini Hydroponics unit as
part of a Start-Up Kit. Additionally, participants engaged in planting seeds as
well as transplanting seedlings into raised beds as part of their practical
sessions.
The Completion Ceremony for the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) was held on Wednesday 31st August 2022 at GARD Center and 8 out of 11 trainees receive certificates, a Mini Hydroponics and Backyard Garden Start-Up Kit with other complimentary tools to assist with their Backyard Gardening and Hydroponics journey.
Practical Sessions and Field Visits for Backyard Gardening and Hydroponics Class Sessions
Bowen’s Hydroponics Field Visit
SHAADE Hydroponics Field Visit
Backyard Gardening Field Visit to Mr. Osborne’s Property
\Mr. Osborne’s Backyard Gardening
Crabbs Plant Nursery Field Visit
Cleaning GARDC Hydroponics System
Exploring Types of Hydroponic Systems
Finding Donkey Manure for Raised Garden Beds
Building Raised Beds
Constructing Compost Bin Using Pallets
Planting Cuttings of Flower Plants Using Powder in Perlite
The Sandals Foundation sponsored 20 persons in Climate Smart Agriculture for Youth with Hydroponics and saw 14 successful participants who received training. The course started on 30th May 2022 and sessions were held every Monday – Wednesday from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. at GARD Center.
The latter
part of the training encouraged participants to engage in practical, hands-on
training. In addition, field visits were made to Hydroponics Farms and Backyard
Gardens. The practical components of the course encouraged persons to construct
raised beds and a Mini Hydroponics Unit as part of a Start-Up Kit. Another part
of the practical sessions encouraged participants to engaged in planting seeds
as well as transplanting seedlings into raised beds.
The course ended with a Completion Ceremony on Wednesday 31st August 2022 at GARD Center and the participants received a Mini Hydroponics and Backyard Garden Start-Up Kit with other complimentary tools to assist with their Backyard Gardening and Hydroponics journey.
Completion Ceremony
Group photo with sponsor (Sandals Foundation), Ministry of Agriculture Representative, Trainees and GARD Center Staff
Hydroponics top student award, Fellisa Simon
Building Raised Garden Beds
Practical session and field visit for Back Yard Gardening & Hydroponics. Building of raised garden beds
Welcome to Entrepreneurship World Cup Antigua and Barbuda 2022 Virtual Pitch Competition. The Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center (GARD Center) was selected to be the National Host by COESL and Global Entrepreneurship Network Caribbean.
Antigua and Barbuda will be participating in this Global Competition, which provides an unique opportunity for the island to showcase some of our best innovative entrepreneurs.
The Center is pleased to have received a generous donation from ACB Caribbean for this very worthy venture.
Joyanne Byers, Senior Manager, Finance & Accounting at ACB Caribbean, presented XCD 3,000.00 to Executive Director June M. Jackson and Judy Dease-Richards, Life Skills Tutor / Business Development Assistant of GARD Center at ACB Caribbean’s Headquarters on St. Mary’s and Thames Streets, St. John’s, on Friday, 29 July, 2022.
11 Finalists will each have 3 minutes to show us why they should be the National Winner of Entrepreneurship World Cup Antigua and Barbuda 2022.
GARD
Center salutes the Mill Reef Fund on its 75th Anniversary for all of the
incredible work it has committed to and achieved in Antigua and Barbuda.
During these years the Center has been tremendously blessed by the generosity
of the Fund which has allowed it to positively meet the needs of our clientele,
the vulnerable in its community (At-risk Youth and Women) and the mandate
to train.
When
COVID-19 arrived on the shores of Antigua and Barbuda in March 2020, the
country was placed under complete lockdown by the government and health
protocols were enforced. Many people, especially women and youth in the
workforce were severely displaced. The Mill Reef Fund
contributed significantly to the retraining and re-tooling of persons residing
in this twin island state. As the government slowly allowed for the
reopening of the Country internally with its citizens/ residents and its
borders to the wider community, many people, especially in the Hospitality
industry were out of work and experienced hardships in feeding themselves and
their families.
The
GARD Center saw this as an opportunity to offer training and /or retraining to
members of various communities. This mission was fulfilled by grant funds
received from the Mill Reef Fund to conduct Climate Smart Agriculture courses
with focus on Backyard Gardening and Hydroponics; as well as, Sewing Courses
for Beginners. These courses were selected because the unemployed could
quickly learn a skill and earn an income. Different Cohorts of training
had to be undertaken to observe the rapidly changing Health Protocols. 47
Participants graduated from the CSA training courses (26 M, 21 F). One
female has started her own Hydroponics farm and sells her produce. She has also
developed other products from the harvesting of her backyard garden.
(pepper sauce, etc.). Her husband works closely with her and now
constructs hydroponic units for sale.
49
Participants completed the Beginners Sewing courses with 47 F and 2 M
graduating. A 27-year old male who graduated has continued to develop his
sewing skills and is now enrolled at Antigua and Barbuda Institute of
Continuing Education (ABICE). This gentleman designed and created the
Wedding dress for this year’s annual ABS Valentine Wedding ceremony.
Ralstan Hughes, Designer & Creator of the 2022 Valentine’s Wedding Gown working in GARD Center’s Sewing Class
Many
of the graduates continue to flourish with their knowledge honed and are able
to earn an income.
In
addition, in 2020, the Mill Reef Fund provided Care Packages to 50 graduates of
the Center (single mothers) for 6 months. This benevolent gesture was
extremely well received by all.
Single Mothers Care Packages Distribution
The
Mill Reef Fund continued to serve this nation in 2021 when funding was received
by the GARD Center to conduct Remarkable Hospitality and Customer Service
Training as well as Basic Baking, Decorating and Food Preparation Courses.
A total of 18 people graduated, (14 F and 4 M).
Sincere thanks to the Mill Reef Fund for partnering with our Center in its delivery and upliftment of the Youth of this nation.
The
GARD Center continues to thank the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)
for its support in the training of Women in Climate Smart Agricultural
technologies with a focus on hydroponics and the blanching and freezing of
vegetables in preparation for the dry season and the shortage of food.
This
project has become increasingly more vital and timely as the year 2021
continued to unfold, with the delay in the supply chain universally.
Things worsened for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at the turn of the
year 2022 with the rumours of war, between Russia and Ukraine. It seemed
as though the world’s focus almost forgot about the COVID-19 pandemic which had
thrown most of the world in a tailspin from early 2020, (and continues) with
lockdowns and supply interruptions.
Although
by the first quarter of 2022, government restrictions have slowly been lifted
in Antigua and Barbuda, with the business sector starting to re-open, some
women have still not been able to return to full time employment in the
service industry due to the reduction of occupancy in many hotels and the
cruise ship sector mainly operating at 50%. The CFLI has been
instrumental as the backbone of developing backyard garden plots and a
demonstration hydroponic unit for trainees to get hands-on practice during this
aspect of the training. A few crops have been pre-planted for the
Blanching and Freezing component of the course, etc.
The
COVID-19 pandemic continues with various strains circulating; and health
protocols put in place continue to change constantly, the actual start of the
training component had to be deferred on several occasions. The training
course has started. Over the 25 women who showed interest in training in 2021,
when the protocols ‘settled’ and training was ready to begin in January
2022, the Center had to delay the start date due to some women
having restarted work during the day and would then have prefered evening
sessions. The recruitment drive continued.