Oct. 15, 2006 — Despite some rain and a sobering theme of malnutrition and poverty, a World Food Day celebration Sunday brought families out to learn and have fun.
"The food was great; the plants were beautiful," said spectator Antoinette Johnson, making her first trip to a World Food Day (WFD) event. "It was a great day for family."
This year's WFD theme, "universities feeding people" correlates to the theme of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), "investing in agriculture for food security." To present the WFD festivities, the cooperative extension service (CES) and agricultural-experiment station of the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) teamed up with the V.I. Department of Agriculture.
Colors showered the front lawn of UVI as spectators walked through rows of tents candy striped with greens, yellows and reds. Even as the sprinkling rain greeted spectators, vendors and university officials, children ran happily away from their parents, stopping at different locations and learning about plants, insects and animals.
WFD is celebrated every year on Oct. 16, according to the FAO website. UVI has sponsored the event on its lawn for many years, with some vendors returning annually.
Joan Nelson has sold her fruits and spices across the street from the agriculture fairgrounds for a long time, attending WFD at UVI for more than four years. "I take part, I guess, because I am accustomed to," Nelson said.
Nelson's neighbors in the next booth, John and Pearl Duberry, sell their wares at the farmer's market. They have attended WFD as long as Nelson. Like her, they said, they have come over the years out of habit, selling beautiful plants like gooseberry and large sour sop fruits. John Duberry said this year might be their last. "We are just getting too young to do this," he joked.
One of the most lively booths was the petting zoo, sponsored by the island's 4-H club. Children trying to pet, feed or brush animals filled the small, caged-in tent. A menagerie moved freely between the children, reveling in the attention: three loudly quacking ducks, two calves, two sheep, four guinea pigs, a rabbit, a hungry mule and a very large guard dog named Brutus.
A 10-year-old boy, Che Smith, warned children and adults to beware the large teeth of Eor the mule. "We are here to answer any questions anyone would have about the animals," said Smith, a St. Mary's school student. Eor later gave rides to brave children in attendance. One young boy said Eor gave "the greatest ride ever."
"It's a fun day for the family," said Dr. Jeffrey Innis, a podiatrist volunteering with 4-H at the can-drive booth. He has attended the festival for more than 10 years. "It's a cultural event," Innis said. "It brings family and friends together to experience music, culture and brotherhood."
The food drive provides one of the reasons for the event. According to Kofi Boateng, associate director of CES, the drive is an ongoing project. Boateng jokingly referenced overfilled cabinets residents have at this time of the year after successfully getting through another hurricane season.
Residents came out in large numbers donating non-perishable items, Boateng said. He asked Pastor Rod Koopmans of My Brother's Table if he had a large enough truck to transport the numerous donations. Boateng encouraged residents to keep up the donations.
According to Boateng, an estimated 54 million people around the world suffer from hunger. The UN's website argues that only investment in agriculture will turn the situation around. Dr. Cynthia Jackson, chair of UVI's division of education, put the issue of hunger in perspective.
"Most of us are fortunate enough to say when we are hungry that we haven't eaten in four hours, not four days," she said.
Many of the islands children live in poverty, Koopmans said, with the current estimate around 30 percent. Residents must unite "to face the poverty issue and resolve it," he said.
WFD participants came not only to purchase aromatic food from all over the world and pet animals. Workshops like one on ice-cream making proved a hit with visitors.
"I liked the avocado ice cream," said Semaj Johnson. Clint Ferris, UVI director of student life, demonstrated the art of making homemade ice-cream.
Participants also toured UVI's model farm and store and attended workshops on seedlings distribution, swine husbandry and sweet-pepper production. Sprinkled in with the workshops and moko jumbie demonstration was an ongoing raffle: participants had a chance to win one of more than 100 fruit trees raffled throughout the day.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
