The launch of Island Life: Where Family, Culture and Farms Thrive was held at Belmont Estate on Sunday, 14 June 2026, supported by the Caribbean Culture Fund, bringing together students, educators, families, and community partners for an engaging celebration of storytelling, culture, and sustainable agriculture.
The Grenada edition of the project, Grenada’s Island Life: Where Family, Culture and Farms Thrive, was co-authored by 13-year-old Kaedi Ettienne and 14-year-old Meghan Noel, alongside Dr Efua Akoma. The book forms part of a wider cross-Caribbean initiative that uses children’s storytelling to highlight traditional agriculture, cultural identity, food security, and climate-resilient farming practices.
Despite heavy rainfall on the day, the event was a success, with strong participation and enthusiastic engagement from attendees. A key highlight of the launch was the presentation by Ettienne and Noel, who confidently shared their story and journey as young authors. Both girls, who grew up at Belmont Estate, were widely praised for their achievement and for serving as role models for other young people in their community.
Dr Efua Akoma served as a co-author and mentor for the project, supporting the development of the book and guiding the young authors throughout the storytelling process.
The story follows the young authors as they experience the aftermath of a powerful hurricane in Grenada and witness how their community comes together to rebuild farms and restore hope. Through the characters of Grand Mummy and Zumbee the Bee, the book introduces young readers to seed saving, soil care, sustainable farming practices, and the importance of working together to build resilience.
The Island Life Project spans Grenada, Dominica, and St Lucia and brings together intergenerational voices, including children, parents, grandparents, and farming communities. It documents traditional agricultural knowledge while promoting climate-smart practices such as mulching, crop rotation, companion planting, and raised bed farming.
The book aims to inspire children and families to take pride in their cultural heritage, appreciate the importance of agriculture, and recognise the role they can play in protecting the environment. Through storytelling, the project encourages young readers to become responsible stewards of the land and to understand that even small actions can make a meaningful difference in building a more sustainable future.
In addition to the books, the project includes educational toolkits, workbooks, lesson plans, colouring pages, and video resources designed to support teachers, students, and families. Participating farmers were also interviewed to capture their lived experiences and preserve agricultural knowledge for future generations.
A key feature of the launch was the inclusion of AG swag bags, which provided students with hands-on agricultural learning materials and tools designed to encourage practical engagement in farming from an early age. These resources helped reinforce the project’s goal of inspiring the next generation of young farmers.
As part of the launch, each attendee received a complimentary copy of the book, allowing families, educators, and community members to continue sharing its messages of sustainability, resilience, and cultural pride beyond the event.
Although outdoor activities planned for the launch were affected by rain, teachers will facilitate the activities in their classrooms, and student progress will be documented and shared with the project team.
The organising team extends sincere appreciation to all partners, supporters, teachers, parents, and attendees whose contributions helped make the event a success.
Belmont Estate
