The newly renovated greenhouse at the Manning’s School will impact over 1,800 students through new technologies in agriculture.
Providing a revitalising boost to the Westmoreland-based institution’s agriculture programme, the greenhouse will reap success for budding entrepreneurs. “This greenhouse will really expose students to new and advanced technology used in agriculture,” said Richard Washington, Head of the school’s Agriculture Department.
Manning’s boasts a 100 per cent pass rate in agricultural science at the C-SEC level. This comes as no surprise from a school whose tradition in agriculture dates back to 1887.
“This will teach students to use limited space to maximise production in a small area,” Washington added. “It will also allow the students to learn the business of agriculture, preparing business plans and budgets. We have students who have already begun giving their parents, who are small farmers, advice on harvesting and production.”
The 1,500 square feet greenhouse was renovated through a partnership between the Digicel Jamaica Foundation and Food for the Poor Jamaica. It comes equipped with new shade netting, galvanised pipes, ultraviolet treated greenhouse plastic, water tanks, an electric water pump, screen filter, fertilisers, seedlings, flower pots, gutters and an irrigation system.
This development will allow the school to purchase produce at a subsidised rate, offsetting operational expenses.
Strengthening the capacity of Jamaicans to establish sustainable social enterprise projects such as these is the role of the Digicel Jamaica Foundation said Chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin.
“This is no ordinary project,” Lowrie-Chin said. “Students who will be impacted directly will be empowered with the knowledge and skills to further advance this innovative practice. The Digicel Foundation is proud to partner with ambitious Jamaicans like you because it is from the firm foundation established here that we will be able to thrive as a nation.”
The greenhouse is the latest addition to Manning’s agriculture department, which consists of a shade house as well as an animal production unit for goats, rabbits and poultry.
Loop News Service
http://loopjamaica.com/2015/02/20/jamaica-news-community-mannings-agriculture-programme-gets-renovated-greenhouse/
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