DoA giving eggs to local families over summer months
(CNS): The Department of Agriculture is partnering with local charity Resilience Cayman to support Caymanian families with children by providing fresh local eggs. According to a release from the Ministry of Agriculture about the new initiative, the EggsUp programme launched on 21 July for a three-month pilot period to coincide with the summer break.
The eggs are being donated by the National Egg Strategy (NEST) initiative, the release said. NEST, which launched in June 2023, is a programme to create a certified, modern, safe and productive domestic egg sector in the Cayman Islands. The stated aim is to upgrade production facilities and roll out a government-backed safety and quality certification programme for all local egg farmers.
When NEST was launched last summer after two years of work by the DoA to get it off the ground, Agriculture Minister Jay Ebanks said, “Our goal is to improve the market share of local egg producers by 40% in four years and [achieve] a 100% increase in egg production over the same period.”
According to the ministry, the EggsUp programme will provide eligible families with up to two trays of fresh local eggs per week. However, the release did not explain the eligibility criteria or provide any information about how many families will be given the eggs. It did not say how the success of the programme will be measured or how the collaboration with Resilience Cayman will work.
There has been no update on the NEST initiative, so it’s unclear how successful that has been or if it has reached any of its goals. The ministry did not say how much it is paying for the eggs that it is donating to the EggsUp summer programme.
Nevertheless, Agriculture Minister Jay Ebanks said they were proud to support it as it “aligns with our commitment to enhancing food security and supporting local agriculture. By collaborating with Resilience Cayman, we aim to provide vital assistance to families during these challenging times, especially as the cost of fresh food continues to rise.”
NEST Officer Daniel Palcu said, “We are delighted to partner with Resilience Cayman on this initiative. Fresh local eggs provide high-quality protein and essential nutrients, supporting both local farmers and reducing our carbon footprint. This programme not only promotes local poultry farming but also helps alleviate some of the financial pressures faced by families in our community.”
Jan Gupta, Director of Resilience Cayman, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “Following the success of our previous food assistance programmes, which supported over 4,000 families during and after COVID, we are thrilled to continue our mission with the EggsUp initiative. This collaboration is crucial in helping families manage food inflation and ensuring access to nutritious food.”
The release said that the collaborative efforts of the DoA, the ministry and Resilience Cayman “reflect a shared commitment to community well-being and food security. The EggsUp programme aims to address these challenges by providing nutritious, Caymanian-certified eggs to those in need.”
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Category: Agriculture, Business, Community, Local News
While he drives around in a $75,000.00 government purchased vehicle. Poor us.
Eggs equals high cholesterol. High cholesterol equal heart problems. Heart problems equal Shetty.
I would prefer fruits thank you. Go plant melon, chocho and pumpkin. Those grow and can feed an army for free.
That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard! Your brain needs cholesterol. It’s the canola and sunflower oils and the starches that’s killing people not cholesterol. Not to mention the pastries, cakes etc!
How about the DOA track this clown down and neuter him and his dog.
https://ecaytrade.com/advert/327360
CNS: I’ve sent the link and a screenshot of the ad to the DoA along with some questions.
NEST. EggsUp. The CIG acronym/word salad generator never rests.
I hope the eggs not going to JA like everything else in Cayman. Even our Govt and Food bank are supplying them whilst Caymanians are in need.
How many votes per egg that is?
While you are at it, get them discounts off items such as pampers, wipes, fruits, milk, and baby food. These big supermarkets are making a huge profit and can afford to do this without having to receive any payment from government to cover the cost for these discounts.
The owners of these supermarkets should be ashamed of the high mark-up on groceries! Gosh, the sales are not even sale prices…come on man, do better.
Cue a pile of eggy yolks….sorry, jokes. See what I did there? ……I’m here all weeks folks!
It’s alright hen, better luck next time
Stop it! That’s en-oeuf!!
Perhaps they could round up all the wild Fowl and give out fresh local chicken too!
this will be activated closer to the election to secure more votes.
Yes, especially the annoying roosters that starts making noise from 3 am in the mornings. Sickening!
How to apply?
Same as anything else, contact your MP.