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.”