GCCI Commemorates Agriculture Month with its “Plant a Tree” Initiative – Phase II
In celebration of Agriculture Month, on Saturday October 10, 2020, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) continued with its “Plant a Tree,” initiative.
Members of the Chamber in collaboration with the Ministry of Education took the initiative to three further schools on a drive to plant fruit trees in several schools in Georgetown –Unit for the Blind, Tutorial High School and Cummingslodge Secondary School. Fruit trees planted included mango, pear and gooseberry.
The Chamber reiterated that this initiative aims to bring greater awareness to the importance of plant life in balancing our ecosystem. Plants not only aid in reducing our carbon footprint through their carbon sequestration ability, but importantly also provide a home to many of nature’s animal species including birds, butterflies, etc.
GCCI notes it is important for our school children to understand that trees contribute to their environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality, moderate local climate by providing shade, regulate temperature extremes, conserve on water, preserve our soil, and support animal life. In the case of fruit trees, they provide fruits that can be consumed by their beneficiaries with many health benefits.
The pictures below depict the various schools trees were planted at over the past weekend.
UNIT FOR THE BLIND
TUTORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
CUMMINGSLOGDE SECONDARY SCHOOL
The Chamber looks forward to the assistance of these schools in taking care of these plants to maturity.
In furtherance of initiative as these, it is the intention of the GCCI to develop a vertical kitchen garden in the coming months to encourage students to develop a love for agriculture and to understand that agriculture need not be hard work, but smartwork with the use of new and modern methodologies.
The Chamber remains hopeful that it can convince every home owner to plant a tree or maintain a kitchen garden as part of our efforts to reduce the impact of climate change and upkeep the focus on sustainable development post Covid-19.
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