Hon. Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, the Minister with responsibility for External Affairs who is also the Member of Parliament for Central Castries, on March 27 registered participants for a new initiative targeted at the constituents of Castries Central called Urban Grow.

The Urban Grow Project aims to develop and encourage small-scale agricultural enterprises and kitchen gardening among the residents of central Castries; provide small business technical support for those engaging for income generation; generate eagerness among families in farming or gardening activity; develop farming and gardening systems specific to urban sector and inner city life, utilizing traditional and innovative methods; and to provide essential vegetables and fresh produce for older and disabled persons who are unable to grow for themselves.

The project will assist participants by providing technical skills, advice and support to individuals and families taking into account their specific circumstances and what support they will require to start growing; providing access to essential tools, farming equipment and inputs; providing access to land for small scale enterprises and kitchen gardening; and helping develop and maintain a model teaching garden.

As part of the Project, organizers are considering a Rent-a- Row programme that will enable individuals to rent a row in a garden for the purposes of starting a kitchen garden; a horticulture and flower gardening segment for domestic and urban beautification; and a quarterly family cook-up in which communities get together and cook what they have grown.

The initiative is part of a long-term sustainable plan to deal with unemployment, and develop the country’s human resource.

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http://www.govt.lc/news/government-explores-sustainable-approaches-to-unemployment