Amid Jamaica’s determined trek toward recovery following last October’s passage of the devastating Hurricane Melissa, the country has been forced to show a remarkable amount of grit. This is especially true of the local food industry.

For Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green, it meant the theme of the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards — ‘Resilience’ — was particularly timely.

“I think it’s great that the food awards are celebrating our farmers. There would be no food without our farmers and they have shown that they are the most resilient people in the world. They have bounced back really strongly from Hurricane Melissa and we are seeing it tonight,” he said.