30,000 Local Food Baskets: Ministries partner for COVID Food Initiative

30,000 Local Food Baskets: Ministries partner for COVID Food Initiative

The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services (MSDFS) as the core Government agency charged with the responsibility to serve and protect the vulnerable of our country, recently partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries for another initiative, to assist persons in immediate need of food support for during the COVID19 Stay at Home period.

In this regard, over three months, starting May 1 2020, 30,000 Local Food Baskets will be distributed across the country. Each recipient will get a $250.00 supermarket voucher, a bag of ground provisions, callaloo, pumpkin, a bag of local fruits and vegetables including pineapples, melons, melongene, a box of tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers and seasonings, and two chickens. The food basket will be supplied by NAMDEVCO and sourced from farmers across the country.

The recipients of the Local Food Baskets and supermarket vouchers will be drawn from those persons who are unable to access the social support grants, as well as those households with children under the School Feeding Programme that were unable to access food cards from their Member of Parliament. This initiative commenced from today with The Honourable Camille RobinsonRegis, Minister of Social Development and Family Services, assisting with the delivery to some of the MP Offices. Recipients will be contacted by their respective Member of Parliament for collection accordingly.

This initiative will cost taxpayers the sum of $15,000,000.00. The Government through the Ministries of Social Development and Family Services and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, remains committed to bringing relief to those who have been negatively affected by the impact of the COVID19 pandemic to ensure that no one is left behind as we begin to chart the road to recovery.

Minister Robinson-Regis distributes local food baskets and vouchers to Ms Nathalie Hector-Hoyte (2nd from left) today at the Longdenville Government Primary School.

A cross-section of fruits and vegetables for distribution to assist persons in immediate need of food support for during the COVID19 Stay at Home period.