Empowering commercial farmers to participate in feeding the nation has been a long-term endeavour of the Bahamas Government towards sustaining national development.

On Monday, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. V. Alfred Gray, toured Forrester Bowe's 19 acres of commercial farm land on New Providence, which he has been leasing from the Government. Gray said he wants to encourage Farmer Bowe to continue his good work, as well as expand his system to other islands.

Minister Gray said: "We are here today at the farm of Mr. Forrester Bowe, with some 19 acres on it. He's planting on it a variety of things like coconuts, Persian limes, guavas, cassavas, dillies, and sweet potatoes. I came here to encourage him and to see whether the visit could inspire other people to get involved.”

Gray added that there is no way to describe how important it is for everyone to get involved in agriculture and helping to feed themselves.

"We have 350,000 Bahamians, and if every Bahamian plants one tree, that's 350,000 trees. And if those trees begin to bear, that's 350,000 bearing trees. We would be able to at least get fruits and vegetables year round, everywhere," said Minister Gray. "And so, that's the concept and it starts with people like him. I'm seeking to be an inspiration to those seeking to farm because the Government will do whatever we are able to do to assist those who are willing to try."

Forrester Bowe described his endeavor as “general farming" which he said included livestock husbandry and growing coconuts, local fruits and vegetables. He endorsed Minister Gray's support for local farmers.

"He's a good ambassador for the farmers. He's always promoting the farmers and I appreciate that. The Minister is like 'Thomas' [John 20:24-29], where seeing is believing. He believes in production, not conversation. He comes to promote what I got. You got to be productive for him to listen to you," said farmer Bowe.

By Gena Gibbs - Bahamas Information Services

Dozens of Exumians joined the Women’s Bureau of the Ministry of Social Services and Community Development in a Women’s Backyard Farming Workshop on November 27 in the Kettel Centre of the Exuma Foundation in George Town. The theme of the workshop was “Women and the Environment: Creating Partnerships for Sustainable Development.”

The workshop was part of “National Women’s Week” and one of a number of activities presented over the past week by the Bureau of Women’s Affairs of the Ministry of Social Services. The Women’s Bureau organized the Backyard Farming Workshop in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Cooperation (BAIC).

Social Services Minister, Melanie Griffin, set out to speak to Exuma's women involved with the environment, who also love working with their hands. Minister Griffin said that women should be able to pass on skills to the next generation what we learned as children.

"Although farming is knew to Nassau, it's not new to residents in the Family Islands," said Minister Griffin. "Backyard Farming is more than planting seeds. It's about taking control of your health and combating poverty."

Exuma Member of Parliament Anthony Moss said: "The government has been stepping in the right direction to remind Bahamians, young and old, to feed themselves." He added that he wanted to encourage Exumians to learn from the women already doing backyard farming.

Women's Week 2015 hosted a series of events during November 23 to 27, which included Women & the Environment Panel Discussion on Monday; ‘Adaptation to Climate Change’ Webinar on Tuesday; Commemoration and Special Forum recognizing the United Nation’s International Day to End Violence Against Women, on Wednesday; a video documentary screening of “Womanish Ways, Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy” by Marion Bethel in recognition of the 1962 Anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement that yielded women’s right to vote, on Thursday; the Women's Backyard Farming Workshop in Exuma on Friday; and, then ending the week, on Saturday a symposium at Melia Cable Beach Resort in Nassau, under the theme "The Future We Want."

Representing the Bureau of Women’s Affairs were Christine Campbell and Lynn Symonette. Others of the team were: Catherine Booker, Exuma Foundation Ltd. representative; Shacara Lightbourne, National Technical Specialist, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture; and Shomekhan Cargill, Consultant, Agrotech.

After addressing the Exuma residents about the importance of farming, Minister Griffin declared the workshop officially opened.

Minister Griffin Addresses Exuma Backyard Farmers.

Exuma Backyard Farming Vegetable Patch.  (BIS Photos/Gena Gibbs)

Has the papaya leaf been traditionally used by Exumians as a tea? Is "Strongback" the name of a tree that grows wild in Exuma? These are the kind of questions that Dr. Liat Racin, from the "A Sustainable Future for Exuma" project, posed to students at a series of workshops on local fruit trees in primary and high schools in Staniel Cay, Black Point, Little Farmer's Cay and Great Exuma.

There are many cultural traditions that connect Bahamians to the natural world, and perhaps none are as important as fruit trees. However, "these days, kids take for granted our fruit trees and don't know much about them" as one resident on Black Point pointed out, "so [the knowledge] might die away as older folks pass away."

The educational workshops were conducted throughout the month of March 2015. It was part of a citizen-science initiative, meaning that students become actively involved in research on local fruit and fruit trees. Each educational workshop reviewed the relationship between people and fruit with stories and demonstrations, and every student also received a take-home "Fruit Workbook". The workbook contained pictures of local fruit and fruit trees, and students were asked to gather as much information on these fruits and plants from their parents, grandparents, friends and community. The only rule they were given about filling the workbook was don't use the internet!

The aim is to reignite students' interest for local fruit trees and encourage learning from their communities. As one Staniel Cay resident underlined, "if our kids don't learn from their mummy or grammy today about what the trees do and how we can use them and why they are important, who will they learn from?"

The Sustainable Future for Exuma project is a collaboration involving the government of The Bahamas, the Bahamas National Trust and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

He indicated the restoration - or “revitalisation” - of the Botanical Gardens was expected to be the forerunner for the establishment of urban botanical parks in a number of the islands of The Bahamas in order to ensure easy access to green spaces and natural areas for recreation and enjoyment.