CASTRIES – The Minister for Agriculture says a symbiotic relationship can result from using fresh local foods at schools.
During his recent address at the launch of the Vieux Primary School’s Feeding Programme, Minister for Agriculture, Food Production, Fisheries, Co-operatives and Rural Development Moses Jn Baptiste said feeding one child an egg once a week will help to increase the sales of local egg producers.
“We have a little over 30 000 school children in Saint Lucia – primary school, early education and tertiary. If we are to feed every child, one local egg, once a week, just one egg once a week, we [would have bought] from the farmers 2500 dozens of eggs; just by feeding each child one egg, once a week. Now let us not even talk about lettuce, cucumbers, melons – you name it.”
As a result of such practices, the minister said, farmers will benefit by having additional access to markets while the children will be afforded the opportunity to eat fresh, wholesome local foods. (PR)