“Eat Jamaican” Grand Finale joins Farmers’ Market in Portmore this Wednesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 20, 2011

“Eat Jamaican” Grand Finale joins Farmers’ Market in Portmore this Wednesday

Kingston, Jamaica: May 24, 2011: The National “Eat Jamaican” Road Show joins the monthly Farmer's Market to bring a carnival atmosphere to the Portmore HEART Academy on Wednesday, May 25, starting at 3 p.m. This Grand Finale Road Show will feature the nation's formidable comedic duo of Ity and Fancy Cat, the hilarious campaign mascot Doctor Bird, together with displays, giveaways and nutritional talks.

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton has called for a cooperative response from consumers, saying this is critical for the success of the campaign, which is funded by the European Union. “Our farmers are up to the task of supplying these foods and we can say that with certainty because we have seen your tremendous reaction when we made the direct link between producers and buyers at our innovative Farmers’ markets,” he said.

Visitors to Wednesday’s show can expect to be thoroughly entertained by Ity and Fancy Cat and campaign mascot Doctor Bird who will also be providing nutritional facts on Jamaican foods. The campaign has had the backing of some of Jamaica’s well loved companies such as Jamaica Broilers, GraceKennedy, Tru-Juice and Wisynco and they will be in Portmore with their exciting displays and samples. Patrons will also have the opportunity to win giveaways from National Bakery and Island Grill. 

Representatives from the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) will also be on hand with food displays, and they will be distributing brochures with helpful tips for backyard gardening in keeping with their slogan, ‘Plant Up Yuh Backyard’.

Since March, the “Eat Jamaican” campaign has been travelling across the island promoting the campaign theme, “Grow what we eat, eat what we grow” in urban centres such as Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, May Pen, Lucea, Falmouth and Port Maria.

The campaign has also collaborated with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) at the Regional Culinary Festival where the “Eat Jamaican” Recipe and Sing-Off Competitions was introduced. Participants to the competitions were awarded plaques, cash and gift baskets for the most creative recipes with Jamaican foods and the best folk song about Jamaican foods.

Six of Jamaica’s top Olympic Stars have endorsed the campaign: Melaine Walker, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater. They have supported Eat Jamaican events and are featured on bus shelters across the island.    

The 3-month long campaign has been urging Jamaicans to increase local production and encouraging consumers to make healthy choices by putting local produce, fruits and vegetables on their plates. The campaign has been implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and is funded by the European Union Food Facility. 

  
Contact:

Cecil Thoms

Director, Communication & Public Relations

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

T- 927-1872; E – cethoms@moa.gov.jm

Akhter Hamid

Project Manager

Tel: +1 876 978 2352

Mob: +1 876 322 7284

Email: akhter.hamid@fao.org

Staci Smith & Cleo Walker
PROComm
T 876-926-6740 | M 876-455-1166

M 876-375-9438