Embracing the Struggles-Karian Blair

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LIFESTYLE OF IMPOVERISHED FARMERS EMBRACING THE STRUGGLES

KARIAN BL AIR 1

Embracing the struggles As a child growing up in a farming community I often watched farmers going about their daily lives and I sometimes wondered how they coped with their living conditions. I observed a breakdown of families because of discrimination from others around them; partners left home taking the children with them to seek a better life because farming was not enough to maintain and sustain their lifestyle.

Quite a number of farmers are affected by poverty.

Although farming is their mainstay many of them are barely making enough money to sustain all the basic needs of their families. Not only is it an issue in Jamaica but it is a growing worldwide problem. Some families get assistance from the government, but others have to try and make the best on their own. This photo documentary will explore the daily lives of impoverished farmers in the community of Coldingham, St. Catherine, identifying how their living conditions and how they support themselves and their families daily.

The Coldingham community in St. Catherine is largely a farming community. Farming is the main source of income for families who reside in the community and its surrounding areas. Even though the farms a located in the remote areas of the community the farmers are faced with the issue of thieves raiding their farms and making away with their produce. In order battle this issue the farmers either report their stolen produce or move their farms to different locations within the community.

Caribbean countries have grappled with poverty and related problems for decades. Widespread 2

poverty is a relatively new phenomenon in Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States. Until recently, most people enjoyed secure employment and guaranteed pension benefits. Since the collapse of the former communist system in the region, poverty has increased at a pace unparalleled elsewhere in recent times. According to recent data, nearly one in five persons live below the poverty line while poverty affects five times more people than it did a decade ago. Europe is facing a catastrophic economic and social decline, according to a new Red Cross report. The charity concludes that austerity measures taken during Europe’s economic downturn have further contributed to snowballing poverty and unemployment. Seventyfive percent of the world’s poorest countries are located in Africa, including Zimbabwe, Liberia and Ethiopia. For the past two years, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa’s second largest country, has also been ranked the poorest in the world.

Approximately one in three people living in subSaharan Africa are undernourished. 16.4 % of the population, 80 million people, live below the poverty threshold in the European Union, The Czech Republic (9 % of the population), the Netherlands (10 %), Austria and Hungary (12 %) are the countries where poverty is lowest. With a rate of 13.5% the poverty rate of France is also among the lowest in Europe, just after the Nordic countries (around 13 %). Caribbean countries are facing various problems adapting to a new economic model for growth as poverty continues to rise.

Shemar Lambert on his way to pick up goods to take to the market at his home in Coldingham.

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Trevor MCleod watering his plants on his farm on Friday March 25, 2016

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Trevor tends to his plant by removing weeds from them.

After finishing his morning rounds Trevor heads back home.

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Trevor MCleod sitting down at home picking on his herbs on Friday March 25 2016.

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Trevor MCleod sitting down on his steps at home in Coldingham eating dinner.

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The home of Goerge Holmes in Coldingham

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George Holmes doing his early morning washing at his home in Coldinngham

After washing George joyfully hangs his clothes on a line at the side of the house.

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George Holmes prepares the food for his pot on a wooden counter in his outdoor kitchen

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STRENGTH O

Hortense Lambert cutting a banana to take to the market at her home in Coldingham Coldingham on Friday March 25, 2016.

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OF A WOMAN

After Hortense cuts the bananas she wraps them with dried banana leaves for packing.

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With help from her granddaughter, Shanse, Hortense packs and lays out the produces to be loaded onto the vehicle for transport.

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Finally the produce are gathered; ready to be loaded and transported.

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Lifestyle of Impoverished Farmers: Embracing the Struggles Karian Blair Email: blairkarian123@gmail.com University of Technology, Jamaica Š 2016 16