Several of the products were displayed at the recently staged 4-H Clubs National Achievement Day and Exposition, held at the Denbigh Showgrounds in May Pen, Clarendon.

New brand

Level Three trainee at the academy, Damion Morris, who has responsibility for supervising Level Two students, said Ebony Park will be marketing the products under the brand, Ebony Pride, when full certification is granted by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica.

"All the ingredients and raw materials are from the farm, so we are keeping it local within the community of Ebony Park. We are not yet in the supermarkets, but that's where we are heading now. But first we have to be certified by the Bureau of Standards.

"Being in agro-processing helps you to realise that all these products you go out there and see can be made from products which would otherwise have been disposed of," he said.

Morris emphasised the need for young people to get involved not only in farming, but in agro-processing, as it plays a critical role in ensuring food security. This will allow seasonal crops to be available for consumption throughout the year.

Ebony Park HEART Academy is the top HEART Trust/NTA institution in the island for training and certification in agriculture. It occupies some 500 acres of land, most of which have been dedicated to crop cultivation and animal rearing.