Officials at the Flamingo Gardens Family Life Centre are putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to the centre’s backyard farming initiative.

Almost one year after its launch in September, 2024 as part of the Empowerment Hour Programme, the centre has planted and harvested a range of vegetables from lettuce, to chili peppers, lemon cucumbers, Asian melons, and more recently pumpkins, including a 28.2 pounder, to showcase how families can not only feed themselves, but also supplement their incomes through the sale of their produce, while ultimately helping to protect the environment.  A similar programme was launched at the Nassau Village Community Centre.

Lisa Bowleg, the Officer-in-Charge of the Community Affairs Division, said the centre’s collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, and specifically Danrey Sweeting, on the implementation of the backyard farming initiative, has been “fruitful”.

“I would say that we have been very successful as a group in turning the backyard space at the centre into a positive showcase of the potential of backyard farming,” she said. 

She said the centre has been privileged to share its harvests with various individuals, families and institutions in the community free of charge. Beneficiaries have included residents of the two Senior Citizens Homes.

“One of the persons we distributed the pumpkins to operates a soup litchen free of charge on a monthly basis and so being able to assist her means that she can continue to share with others. The Soup Kitchen at the Good News Seventh-Day Adventist Church, a community partner of the Family Life Centre, has also been a recipient (and) so we are not just talking about passing on something where it stops, it’s the gift that keeps on giving because as we give to them, they are giving to others.”

    Officer in Charge of the Community Affairs Division of Social Services - Lisa Bowleg with a pumpkin harvest.