NASSAU, Bahamas — As he appealed for a regional partnership on food security, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said The Bahamas does not have a moment to lose when it comes to strengthening its agricultural industry, The Nassau Guardian reported on Tuesday, May 24, in an article written b Paige McCartney.
Cooper was speaking during the CARICOM Agri-Investment Forum, which concluded over the weekend in Guyana.
He said like every other CARICOM country, The Bahamas was particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the lingering effects of which are still being felt as inflation drives up food costs.
“We learned that food security must become a priority to ease our dependence on major industrial trade partners and to stem the flow of currency leaving our shores. In my country, we have not made the gains in local food production that we would wish to realize as quickly as we would like. And with inflation and lingering supply chain issues, we find we are paying more to feed ourselves and our visitors,” he said.
“This was not the case just a generation or two ago. Now, we import 90 percent of our food at a cost of over $1 billion every year. From these figures, it is clear that there is money in food. But as we face an aging farmer population, with over 80 percent over the age of 65, we are still trying to figure out how to attract and engage another generation of Bahamians who are passionate about feeding us and themselves.
“These problems are not unique to The Bahamas. Therefore, we are here to extend offers of assistance in areas where we are able, and to avail ourselves of any new and innovative ideas that are being shared during this gathering.”
Cooper said The Bahamas could learn a lot from its CARICOM partners on how to take advantage of what grows naturally and abundantly in the country.
“For example, we visited a coconut farm yesterday and I was quite impressed.
In The Bahamas, coconuts grow in abundance year round, but we still import a significant amount of coconut water. Coconut vendors have been selling coconut water on the roadside for many years, but we have yet to harness that industry. I note that Jamaica’s Coconut Industry Board has had great success in supporting Jamaica’s coconut farmers and seeks to help them become viable players in the global coconut water industry,” he said.
“I have followed that industry there and in other Caribbean countries. We have also taken note of the strides made in the poultry industry in Jamaica and here in Guyana. As I indicated, we are here to learn the latest in agricultural technology and to hear what The Bahamas can take advantage of.” See article in The Nassau Guardian at https://thenassauguardian.com/bahamas-seeking-to-learn-from-partner-with-caricom-on-food-security/
