Bahamas Agriculture News: ...The number of Bahamian farmers decreased by 90 per cent over the last 40 years... ...While Bahamians seem to become more supportive of locally grown products

BAHAMAS SUFFERS 90% FARMER DROP OVER 40 YEARS


By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net


THERE has been a 90 per cent decrease in Bahamian farmer numbers over the last 40 years, it was disclosed yesterday, with insurance said to be one of the "major concerns" for the industry locally.

Sekani Nash, production manager at Lucayan Tropical, in an interview with Tribune Business yesterday, said the Bahamas was often impacted by hurricanes and, while farmers spend a lot of money in the ground, there was not always a guaranteed return.

Mr Nash told Tribune Business: "Farmers spend a lot of money in the ground, and it's not always a guaranteed return on that. To have even minimal insurance, that would cover at least the cost of seeds if something goes wrong. Here, if you put something in the ground, you give a good prayer to God and hope for the best. It's definitely a major challenge.

"The industry is just not at the level where that is a necessity now, even though it should be. The industry itself is still too small for insurers to say they can see a profit in it for them; that is the unfortunate part. Only until we grow the industry will anything change. Right now we are just under 1,000 farms in the Bahamas compared to the 1960s, when there were about 10,000. Over the last 40 years there has been a 90 per cent decrease in the industry itself."

In a recent interview with Tribune Business, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Larry Cartwright, said the Government was still moving forward with plans for a contributory disaster relief insurance programme for farmers, with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Mr Nash questioned whether the Government was truly committed to reducing agricultural imports. "The unfortunate reality is how far will the Government go to increase agricultural imports when they make money off the imports," he said.

"No matter how much lip service they spend, it's only lip service. It seems like they are only going to do enough to keep it where it is. Imports is where the Government makes its money, and registered farms get tax breaks on bringing in certain equipment."

Mr Nash said that as a young farmer, land availability was also a great concern. "As a young farmer, one of the greatest concerns is land availability," he added.

"The Government has made land available, but as a young farmer even if I was to get land from the Government, then I have to find money, someone who would believe in my idea for me to run a farm.

"There is no lease to own. Land is the one collateral that is like gold in any business. To have someone lease you land and you still don't have any collateral makes it difficult for you as a farmer starting out."

Mr Nash noted that distribution was a major challenge for farmers in the Family Islands, as products usually take days to get to stores and, ultimately, loose their freshness.

He said that over the last five years, Bahamians seem to become more supportive of locally grown products, but admitted that "it's still not where it should be".

March 02, 2012

tribune242

Caribbean Blog International

Andros Island Seen as The Breadbasket of The Bahamas

The Potential of Andros as The Breadbasket to Feed The Entire Bahamas

Farming clearly should be and will be the lifeblood of Andros...

North Andros to Feed the Nation

 

By Gladstone Thurston

BahamaSeaWeed@groups.msn.com

Bahamas Information Services

February 6, 2004

 

 

Nicholl’s Town, Andros – The North Andros High School came in for commendations from Agriculture Minister V Alfred
Gray in its quest to feed the nation.

North Andros High is “the model for farming in all the secondary schools in The Bahamas,” added Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Peet, the Member of Parliament for the area.

“I am pushing to get additional scholarships at the College of the Bahamas for those who want to take farming seriously,” Mr Peet told students.  “Until we can elevate farming to the level of respectability where it belongs, then many of you will still look at farming as a blue-collar work for somebody else to do.”

Mastic Point Primary won the H Newbold floating trophy for excellence in farming, a programme spearheaded by North Andros High last year.  Red Bay Primary was second, and Bowen Sound Primary came in third.  All primary schools in the district including those in the Berry Islands participated.

Ministers Peet and Gray led a delegation from Nassau to the North Andros High School agriculture rally and exhibition on Thursday staged by the North Andros High 4H Club in collaboration with the agriculture science department.

Also present were Deputy Permanent Secretary/Ministry of Agriculture Ursula Chisholm, Agriculture Extension Officer Stephen Adderley, District Superintendent Harcourt Davis, Administrator Dr Huntly P Christie, and Chief Councillor Alphonso Smith.  Joel Lewis is the principal at North Andros High.

“(The agriculture exhibition) comes at a time when we feel that providing food for ourselves is very, very necessary,” said agriculture science teacher and 4H Club co-ordinator Rai Budhu.  “We hope to motivate you to strive towards self sufficiency.

“It is important for a nation to be self sufficient in food.  A country, which is unable to provide its own food, can be in great problems.  You can eat every day the things that are produced right here in North Andros.”

Agriculture exhibits at the school’s sprawling farms, adjacent to its campus, featured a wide variety of edibles – pumpkins, cassavas, yams, potatoes, broccolis, cauliflowers, tomatoes, grapefruits and nonis - the latest cash crop.

Chickens, pigs, goats and ducks are also raised as part of the programme.

Already North Andros High provides a Nassau-based hotel and restaurant with fresh fruit and vegetables.

“I see Andros as the breadbasket of today and tomorrow,” noted Agriculture Extension Officer Mr Adderley.  “While there is limited farming going on at present, the potential for Andros is as a breadbasket to feed the whole nation.”

Mr Peet said the government is going to do much more to empower Bahamians, “especially you here in Andros where farming clearly should be and will be the lifeblood of Andros.

“Farming is something to look forward to.  It is a profession, which pays, and you would be doing a very valuable service to yourselves, The Bahamas and the world.

“The farmers in Andros have been frustrated for years.  We are about to ease that pressure for all farmers because farmers need to be respected and given the tools to earn a decent living.

“This exhibition is a very good example of the importance and the value that North Andros High is putting on farming.”

Agriculture Minister Gray urged Bahamians to consider agriculture as “serious business.”

He pointed out that farming provides an avenue through which the country’s economic base could be broadened while contributing to the country’s food security.

He warned of the “almost total reliance” of the country on a single industry – tourism, “an industry that is very sensitive to and is always driven by external forces over which we in The Bahamas have little or no control.

“It is important therefore for us to expand the pillars of our economy to include the agriculture and fishing industries.”

Another reason for agricultural economic expansion has to do with The Bahamas becoming more self-reliant.

“The fact is that we as a country rely too heavily on imports,” said Minister Gray.

In its effort to motivate farmers, the government has put in place a package of incentives, which include the provision of farmland, assistance in land clearing, duty-free exemption on equipment, and loan guarantees.

Mr Gray said he will be recommending to the government the granting of ‘start-up’ money for persons “who are serious about becoming involved in agriculture and who are willing to farm for produce, which are in high demands.

“I challenge you, therefore, to become partners with the government in making agriculture and fishing strong pillars in our country’s economic life,” said Mr Gray.

“I can assure you that those who are willing to become so involved would find this government’s attitude very embracing and supportive.”