Mellody Garwood encouraging more women to farm

Coordinator for the Top Burnt Ground omen's farmers group in St Elizabeth, Mellody Garwood, is campaigning for more women to be involved in agriculture.

Garwood, who admits that it doesn't come without its challenges, said it can be a rewarding activity to take up.

Part of her re-energised attitude comes from her partnership with Home Grown Produce, a woman farmers initiative which sees the company contracting farmers to plant red peas and taking the produce off their hands.

A smiling Gardwood told CENTRAL STAR that before the agreement, she reaped red peas and lost everything as she did not have a market for it.

"I have already sold 400 pounds and I now looking forward to doing some more planting," she said.

Garwood was instrumental in forming Home Grown Produce in 2016; there are now 53 members.

"I saw a lot of women in the district who needed help, they were struggling and couldn't send their children to school," said Garwood, adding that she approached Dr Glenda Simms, who worked with a farmers group from Malvern, about aiding them.

Garwood was encouraged to form a women's farmer's group and when she did, the members benefited from a family life initiative sponsored by Hi-Pro Feeds.

"At the end of the training, we all received 100 chickens, fertilisers and other supplies," she said.

Garwood also went into the chicken-rearing business and expanded into other areas of farming.

For Garwood, there is no other life for her, and her only wish is to see more women embracing the opportunity to come into the sector.