The Tribune

THE Agricultural Development Organization (ADO) has announced a $50,000 donation in supplies to boost farming at government schools throughout The Bahamas.

Announcement of the partnership between ADO Bahamas, a non-profit launched in January with a $1.1m grant from FTX Capital Markets, and the Ministry of Education was made during a press conference at Ministry headquarters on Thompson Boulevard.

“We are very pleased to share the good news that following numerous planning meetings and discussions with senior Ministry of Education officials in the agriculture in school programme and our consultant, the Agricultural Development Organization will fund existing or new farming initiatives at 21 schools on six islands in The Bahamas,” said ADO Deputy Chairman Karen Casey.

“We are excited about this partnership which we believe will help plant the seed in the minds of many young people that farming is not just for commercial farmers, it is for all of us who are capable of growing something in our own backyard or within our community to contribute to national food security.”

ADO engaged in field visits to schools with existing poultry and produce programmes and worked closely with a team headed by Patrice Green at the Ministry of Education developing the audit and inventory of needs. Those needs ranged from roto tillers to shade houses, topsoil to chicken pen repairs. Several schools in New Providence operate successful poultry farm initiatives, selling eggs to generate revenue to support feed and other supplies while students benefit from the experience.

“Initiatives like those at CI Gibson and TA Thompson help to plant the seed of an idea when it has time to grow so whether the students who participate become poultry farmers on a commercial scale or raise chickens so one day their children will enjoy farm-fresh eggs, they will in their own way contribute to making The Bahamas a more food secure nation,” said Casey.

“If COVID with high unemployment colliding with supply chain interruption taught us one lesson that we will never forget, it is this: that we must produce more of what we consume and one thing we can produce is much more of our own food.”

According to Minister of Education, Glenys Hanna- Martin the programme has numerous benefits, ranging from the health of individual Bahamians to the sovereignty of the country.

“The more and more we think about this sovereignty and how we are able to feed ourselves, the more we position, strengthen and bolster our people,” she said.

“It’s very important that we cause for our children and young people to begin to have some reality checks about what it is we need to do to advance.

“Agriculture is essential, and going into the schools is critical, because that is where you are going to change the world.”

Schools that will benefit from the funds include CV Bethel, CC Sweeting, LW Young, DW Davis, HO Nash, Government High School, Anatol Rodgers, CH Reeves, AF Adderley, TA Thompson, Stapledon School, and Programme Sure, all in New Providence. Family Island schools that will benefit include Huntley H Christie, Central Andros High and South Andros High, all in Andros, Preston Albury High in Eleuthera, Arthurs Town Comprehensive and Old Bight in Cat Island, NGM Major High in Long Island and LN Coakley High in Exuma.