Inner-city woman finds independence as pig farmer

The year 2020 proved to be a challenging one for some Jamaicans, as the advent of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, left many jobless and hopeless.

Renee Jones was among those affected. She had just completed training as a customer service representative and started working at a call centre when she was sent home. Daunted but not defeated, Jones took the bold step and ventured into animal husbandry, raising pigs from her home in Kingston.

"I started farming because I really wanted a job. I was selling juice with my mom, push handcart and sell juice, and there wasn't any money coming from it," the mother of one declared.

She began with four piglets, in January 2021 and her farm has been growing steadily ever since.

"I know everything about them, what they need ... but the most I will do is rub them down and give them water. The real part of going into the pen and taking out dem feeding pan, mixing the feeding, going back into the pen and make sure that they have their feeding, I don't do that. I have assistants. ... I do get my hands dirty but not as dirty," Jones told THE STAR.

Having made her foray into farming, Jones has become an inspiration to many in her community.

"Nuff people say dem love how a young girl a do this. They don't look down on me, they actually cheer me on, and based on the fact that I am not afraid to hustle, I am not looked down on or scorned. If anything, people brag about me, especially my mother, she feels good," the registered farmer said.

GREAT SATISFACTION

The Queen's School alumna said she feels great satisfaction in knowing that she is doing something out of the ordinary to support herself and her family and revels in the profit margins it brings. She added that she is content knowing there are other economic revenues to gain through pig rearing, such as export.

Currently reading for a bachelor of science degree in economics, Jones is eager to expand her business by creating employment and training for members of her community, as well as building proper pig pens. She encourages other youth to take the plunge into agriculture.

"I would be willing to help those persons who want to learn about the trade. I would be willing, I love it. It doesn't matter what you do in life, as long as you want to do it long-term, learn as much as you can about it," she said.