AS Bahamian families continue to grapple with the increasing cost of living, a leading agriculture-focused non-profit has thrown its support behind recent calls for greater efforts to improve food security in The Bahamas.
In a country where almost 90 percent of the food consumed is imported, Agricultural Development Organisation (ADO) executive chairman Philip Smith said the time for action is now.
“As inflation rates increase, food security becomes even more of a concern for us in The Bahamas,” he said in a press statement. “It is important now more than ever that we not only speak about food security, but also take steps that move us towards being a more food secure nation.”
Food security has been at the forefront of national discussion in recent years, with crisis after crisis highlighting the urgent need to reduce The Bahamas’ annual food import bill of more than $1bn.
Calling last week for serious steps to be taken to meet that objective, The Bahamas’ representative for the Caribbean Agricultural and Research Development Institute (CARDI), Dr Shelley Bridgewater pointed to agricultural empowerment as a key in increasing the country’s food security.
Launched just six months ago with a $1.1m donation from Bahamas-based FTX, ADO has already become a driving force, committed to working with the government and various sectors of society to support agricultural development for greater food independence.
“At Agricultural Development Organisation, we are dedicated to assisting existing farmers with market access and funding while inspiring others to become farmers,” Mr Smith said.
“We have already started to inject funds into key sectors of the industry and are going to continue to assist where, after much research, we believe our investments will bring about the greatest results for food security throughout The Bahamas.”
Both major governing party administrations have stood firmly behind a game-changing policy that encourages hotels, restaurants and food stores to source 40 percent of all food locally. Toward that end, ADO is aiding farmers with technology and methodology to boost output and plans to work with BAMSI, BTVI and other agencies engaged in beefing up the agricultural sector.
ADO has already donated more than $500,000 to various initiatives to help bolster food security in The Bahamas.
Those donations include a $300,000 donation to the Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) for funding of its food parcel initiative; a $197,000 donation to the Church Commercial Farming Group to seed broad-based backyard farming; and most recently, a $50,000 donation in supplies to aid farming programmes at 21 government schools spread across six Bahamian islands.
In addition, according to Mr Smith, ADO operates with a full-time staff of three. There is a powerful board of directors that includes the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Clay Sweeting, 13 committees, each with a specific role and a steering committee that includes Sysco Bahamas President Karen Casey, FTX Capital Markets President Ryan Salome, Royal Caribbean International President & CEO Michael Bayley, Deltec Chairman Jean Chalopin, Foundation Director Dr Ana Everette, developer Jason Kinsale, PR executive Diane Phillips and the chairman in his capacity.
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