What started as a first-time entry into the Ministry of Agriculture’s inter-school competition has become a defining feature of daily life at Sir Luther Wynter Pre-School in St. John’s. The school won that debut entry and has not looked back since.

Children as young as two tend a garden that produces carrots, spinach, kale, bok choy, lettuce, tomatoes and cassava, harvesting the crops themselves and consuming much of it the same day. Teachers say the programme is building far more than food awareness, with students developing fine motor skills, expanding vocabulary and showing a growing sense of responsibility toward living things.

Community volunteer Lois Henry, known as Pat, has supported the garden since her granddaughter attended the school and continues to bring her knowledge and labour to the programme.

The school’s garden is the focus of the first episode of Agricultural Roots: A Look Inside Primary Schools’ Agricultural Programmes, a documentary series produced and distributed by Antigua.News. Schools across Antigua and Barbuda with existing agriculture programmes interested in being featured in upcoming episodes can reach out to Antigua.News.