The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The government is allocating $1.627m “to accelerate food production” through various measures designed to reduce The Bahamas’ dependence on imports, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Michael Pintard, minister of agriculture and marine resources, told the House of Assembly that his ministry has developed an Emergency Food Production Plan to lay the foundations for a strategy intended to diversify the economy and guard against future-type COVID-19 shocks.

“Against this backdrop of COVID-19 we have an opportunity to be creative and resolute, and change fundamentally how we approach our national economy and where we position food security and non-food agriculture production,” he said.

Mr Pintard said focus was being placed on “14 sensitive products” whose importation is restricted due to their importance to Bahamian farmers’ incomes and their ability to be produced domestically.

“In order to accelerate food production, the focus needs to be on strengthening the production systems of existing farmers through the provision of inputs - seeds, guaranteed prices, feed and animals - on all islands with specific emphasis on North Andros, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Cat Island, Exuma and Eleuthera to increase production of targeted crops and livestock,” he added.

The minister added that The Bahamas also needed to focus on “making hydroponic systems and shade/greenhouses available to a range of producers, including young farmers and backyard gardeners”.

He continued: “The hydroponic method is supremely efficient both in the use of water and in physical growing space. The use of water in hydroponic systems, when compared to traditional farming, creates a higher level of efficiency. With the use of shade/greenhouses, one acre produces ten acres of traditional farming methods.”

Outlining where the government’s assistance will be targeted to reduce food imports, Mr Pintard said some $343,000 will be spent on 343 such hydroponic systems. Some $240,000 will be allocated to 10,000 backyard gardening kits, with $376,217 targeted at increasing egg production.

Separately, he added that more than $1m will be made available for land clearing and preparation purposes in Abaco and Grand Bahama.

“It is the intention of our ministry to assist farmers in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas by providing clearing and preparation of farm land through two allocations which exceed $1m,” Mr Pintard said.

“Through the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) Dorian facility, we have designated $1m to catalyse agriculture on Abaco and Grand Bahama commencing with extensive land clearing and preparation.”

He continued: “In the first instance we have plans to assist 19 farmers in Grand Bahama, and 40 on Abaco, at a total cost of some $479,600. Second, through our regular budgetary allocation, we intend to utilise funds to clear and prepare lands for farmers in the remainder of the Bahamas.

“This week our ministry will work with the Ministry of Transport and Local Government, through island administrators and agriculture staff, to accomplish this end. Funds will be transferred to the respective islands commencing this week.”

Mr Pintard said “more than $400,000 is being allocated to assist with seeds, plants, promix, livestock, animal feed and fertilizer”, while the ministry plans to “build capacity of Family Island farmers through provision of valuable information and technical assistance, often delivered through ICTs (information communication technology)”.

He added: “We are executing the repairs of three packing houses to accommodate the increased demand which we have already seen”, with the ministry “identifying storage facilities nationwide to accommodate food reserves for residents, plants and animals”.