A joy to feed the nation

While journeying through Duff House in Manchester, it is hard not to notice the vast fields of fruits, vegetables and condiments under cultivation. Farming for the residents here is serious business.

Walter Samuda and Simon Christian, an uncle-nephew duo who describe it as a family tradition, spend most of their time tending to a variety of crops spread across 16 acres of land.

Samuda told THE WEEKEND STAR that he has been farming since he was nine years old, as it was customary in his household with his other six siblings. The sunlight glistened off his face and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he skilfully adjusts an irrigation system to provide water to a new batch of scallion.

The Prospect Primary past student said that he learnt the importance of self-sustainability at an early age. However, while he grew up in farming, it was not quite his first choice.

"I left my home in Prospect [St Elizabeth] in 1984 and went to Manchester seeking better as a mechanic, but it never work out so I came back home and I started here in 2011," the 60-year old shared.

On the farm, mixed crops such as sweet pepper, thyme, scallion, watermelon and cucumber were neatly placed in rows. The fresh scent of scallion and thyme permeated the air and watermelons peeked from below their leaves, ready to be sliced to cool the heat being generated by the mid-morning sun.

To get the produce to perfection takes hours of back-breaking work and tender care. The elder farmer said that in addition to tilling the soil, they have to ensure that the crops are monitored for pests and insects, and attention is paid to irrigating the plants.

Christian, 45, has been in farming since he was 16.

"My parents were farmers. It just came organically for me, me nuh know any other thing to do so I stick to this," he said.

The father of two beamed in excitement as he reflected on the joy reaping gives. Words were not enough to explain his feelings.

"I feel excited, I'm happy because I love to see pretty things grow. Even for me, crops weh grow pretty even better to me more than the price of the things," he said, as he admired his watermelon

However, the farmers bemoaned the challenges that have been causing them high levels of stress.

"Sometime you plant scallion and worm tek it up, so you lose whole heap. And then the water bill heavy, especially if the water cut off you have to pay for it to connect again because connection have their own price.

"Melons too have been giving us some problem for some years, and they come and test the soil but nothing yet," Christian said.

Several watermelon farmers in parts of Manchester and St Elizabeth suffered significant fallout earlier this year after a mysterious disease caused the produce to rot in the fields before reaching full maturity.

To compound their problems, farmers have lost businesses due to the downturn in tourism brought about by the pandemic. Added to that, the farmers said they are faced with increased operational costs as they set about securing the country's food security.

"Since COVID-19 come in, $2,000 gone on pon fertiliser. Me not even a guh talk bout the seeds from the farm store," Samuda said, shaking his head in distress.

But despite the challenges, Samuda and Christian said they would not trade their jobs as farmers any day, and implore more young persons to get involved.

"It is a means of self-employment and it has helped me to send my daughters to school, so it is fairly profitable, plus I get food to eat," Christian said.

"I have been able to employ about 10 persons on my farm. This is something I intend to do 'til death do us part - this is my second wife. I see expansion in my plan and I hope to open a processing plant to make seasoning or use the leftover fruits to make juices," Christian added.