ABACO, Bahamas - Abaconians laid out a cornucopia of Bahamian-made products as the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources’ agribusiness expo rolled through Marsh Harbour last weekend.
From livestock to farm produce to prepared food to handicraft creations, Abaco demonstrated its potential as a key layer in the Government’s thrust towards food security.
The two-day event highlighted “the importance for Bahamians everywhere to take seriously the need to increase food production in our country,” Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham observed.
“We continue to import into The Bahamas far too much food,” he added. “There is no doubt that we can produce much more of our own food.”
Dignitaries included Minister of Agriculture and Marine resources the Hon Lawrence S ‘Larry’ Cartwright; Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation executive chairman Edison M Key; contingents from the Department of Agriculture and Marine Resources, and central and local government officials.
Patrons were entertained by the Royal Bahamas Police Force pop and march bands, the J A Pinder Primary School from Sandy Point, the Abaco Central High and Primary Schools, and the Wesley College School band. Shantrecia Hield and Vascille Stuart, Jr of Moore’s Island All-Age School moderated. Shaquille O’Neal Jones of Abaco Central High was named winner of the essay contest on ‘Food Safety in a critical time’.
Prime Minister Ingraham noted that not long after his administration was returned to office in 2007, the international community experienced an energy crisis that sent the cost of food soaring.
In response the Government substantially increased social assistance, strengthened the school lunch program, and removed customs duty from more than 160 food items.
Too, experts in the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources sought to raise the consciousness of Bahamians “to the fact that we ignore food production at our own peril,” he said.
As a child in Cooper’s Town (North Abaco which he represents in Parliament) practically every household had a field in which were grown crops to assist in meeting the family’s food needs, he recalled.
Poultry and livestock were also raised, and, for him, fishing “was a necessity.”
“Over the years we have moved away from such traditions and have instead turned to imported goods to fill our dining tables,” he said.
“In more recent times many parents, remembering the hard times of working in the fields or fishing in the hot sun, turned their children away from those pursuits. We all want better for our children.
“However, in turning away from the field and from fishing, some of us failed to see the promising careers and business opportunities in agriculture and marine resources – science, technology, food processing, transportation, marketing, sales and others.”
He pointed to the “tremendous potential” in creating linkages between agriculture and fisheries, and tourism.
“Such linkages have the potential to raise our level of domestic savings, improve our country’s balance of payment, and create a more sustainable job creating economic activity.
“This will help us to raise standards of living in all our islands, discourage family island migration to Nassau, ensure the economic viability of family island communities, and foster a viable sustainable diversification of our economy.”
He commended the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources and the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation for “actively promoting the importance of food security and food safety among Abaconians.
“I am impressed by the quality of the products offered and look forward to the day when more of your products will become more widely available locally and internationally.”
Captions:
Coconut: Stephen Knowles, president of the South Abaco Farmers Association, demonstrates his invention for barking dried coconut for Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Congrats: For their creativity in glass, these students are congratulated by Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Dance: Students of J A Pinder Primary School, Sandy Point, perform during the Abaco agribusiness expo last weekend in Marsh Harbour. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Driftwood: This vendor shows off her driftwood art to Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert Ingraham. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Hit: The Royal Bahamas Police Force pop band was a hit at the Abaco agribusiness expo last weekend in Marsh Harbour. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Hope Town: Hope Town students are pictured with Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert Ingraham (centre); Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister the Hon Lawrence S ‘Larry’ Cartwright (left) and South Abaco Member of Parliament Edison M Key. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Onions: Lennie and Jeruth Etienne of the Abaco Agriculture Co-operative Society show off their produce to Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Perform: Abaco Central Primary School perform a Junkanoo march past of Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham and dignitaries at the Abaco agribusiness expo at Marsh Harbour last weekend. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Shell: There were lovely shell creations at the Abaco agribusiness expo last weekend in Marsh Harbour. Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert Ingraham views them. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
View: Prime Minister the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham joins students in viewing livestock at the Abaco agribusiness expo last weekend in Marsh Harbour. BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Skit: This skit by Abaco Central High School students sent patrons into stitches. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Winner: Shaquille O’Neal Jones, winner of the essay competition ‘Food safety in a critical time’ receives his awards from Cleola Pinder, of the Abaco agribusiness expo committee. (BIS photo/Derek Smith)
Source: Bahamas Information Services
