The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

AS we hear the constant advocacy for reformed agriculture policy, we must admit there are many areas to be addressed. Access to land, stiffer penalties for theft of agricultural goods and labor are just a few of the areas that concern Bahamian agriculturists.

It is in our best interest to have a policy that heavily considers the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. We need a policy to not only benefit Bahamian agriculturist today, but in years to come.

The topic of immigration cannot be overlooked. Importing labour is not new to agriculture. As The Bahamas grows our agriculture sector, we need labour. The question is, what skill level of labour is needed to take our agriculture sector to the next level and target the food security problems we currently face and what we will possibly face in the future?

We need climate-smart agriculturists, environmental engineers, greenhouse specialists, aquaculture specialists and the list of specialist goes on and on.

It is time that we discontinue engaging economic refugees that lack skill in the agriculture sector and engage highly skilled migrants that can drive us forward. For over 40 years, The Bahamas has accepted economic refugees into agriculture, yet there has been very little advancement.

Statistics show that even though we issue many work permits for farm labourers, we have less registered farmers, less cultivated farmland and less use of packinghouses when compared to over 40 years ago. We cannot continue to go this route if we want advancement.

On the contrary, if people from the international community believe that they can contribute to our agriculture sector and they are not skilled, we have an entire institution dedicated to agricultural studies where they can obtain the skills needed to commit to agriculture in The Bahamas. BAMSI should be the base that we build our agricultural skills bank upon, and the University of The Bahamas should be the next step if studying locally.

By attracting international students at BAMSI, the revenue of the institution will increase because international students pay more (as with any other institution). It will also ensure there is little to no language barrier and last but by no means least ensure that persons are familiar with practices that benefit our local environment and food security issues .

Leaders of our agriculture sector must include agriculturists across the entire Bahamas in the conversation of a food security policy. It is important to include students locally and abroad that are studying agriculture, marine studies, climate change, natural resources and other subjects that can address the problems faced regarding food security.

Persons like Dr Godfrey Eneas, a Bahamian agriculture pioneer should not be ignored. In the past, there were policies such as the duty reduction policy that were made without consulting agriculturist. This caused over 400 Bahamians to be without a job. Let us not repeat history and incorporate pioneer farmers with modern day farmers and address the issues. This policy can take our sector forward, or backward and will need as much viable input as possible.

Colette Butterfield

Current BAMSI student and agri-consultant

January 30, 2023