From traditional crops like tomatoes and corn, to more specialized endeavors such as livestock farming, students displayed the fruit of their labor during the 10th Annual Agriculture Science Exhibition.

Innovation and dedication to their craft, and a range of agricultural practices that are being taught and implemented to help foster a sense of self-sufficiency, and promote sustainable development and environmental stewardship, were on display.

Participating schools – H.O. Nash Junior High School, L.W. Young Junior High School, The Stapledon School, T.A. Thompson Junior High School, D.W. Davis Junior High School, C.I. Gibson Senior High School, Anatol Rodgers High School, and C.V. Bethel Senior High School – presented a wide range of agricultural products, produced in a variety of ways including horticulture, dairy and poultry farming, and livestock farming.

H.O. Nash Junior High School featured fresh lamb and goat meat during the Department of Education Agricultural Science Unit's exhibition at the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training's headquarters in the Ivy Dumont Building on University Drive.

Other fresh fruits and vegetables on display included pineapple, cherries, thyme, bib lettuce, kale, tomatoes, goat pepper, bell pepper, carrots, bok choy, eggplant, Swiss chard and arugula.

Glenys Hanna-Martin, minister of education and technical and vocational training, took time out to inspect each school's exhibit and what they produced.

Hanna-Martin praised the agricultural science program for educating students on cultivation methods, and enabling them to put food on the table.

She emphasized the added benefit of them selling their products and fundraising. And that the program provides invaluable exposure to the nuances of entrepreneurship.

Hanna-Martin said practical know-how and expertise acquired through the program could empower students to pursue a lucrative career in agriculture, further augmenting the country's employment opportunities and driving economic growth.

Hanna-Martin is an advocate for student passion pursuit outside of the traditional curriculum – and agriculture is no exception.

The education minister understands that not all students thrive in a traditional classroom setting and that many have interests and skills that are best developed through hands-on experiences. Emphasis has been placed on students obtaining technical certification, as well as the expansion of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) and its Smart Start Initiative.

Zane Lightbourne, state minister for education and technical and vocational training, also toured the exhibition and was also impressed by what he saw.

Lightbourne said the exhibition showcased the potential for growth and development in the agricultural sector, which he said is a key national development goal for the nation's food security.

He spoke about how technology has revolutionized agriculture and how it is no longer the labor-intensive industry it used to be.

Lightbourne emphasized the profitability of agriculture and the opportunity it provides for children to use their passion for technology to produce food.

"Our children have an amazing opportunity to use something that they like - technology - to produce something that they need - food," said Lightbourne.

The Department of Education Agricultural Science Unit hopes to continue to promote the importance of agriculture in ensuring food security and sustainable development in The Bahamas.

Agriculture by its definition encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry for food and non-food products. Different practices of agriculture include aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, which is the controlled cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants. Horticulture and hydroponics are a type of horticulture that involves growing plants, usually crops or medicinal plants, without soil, by using water-based mineral nutrient solutions in aqueous solvents. Dairy and poultry farming are two types of livestock farming, with the key difference being the type of livestock raised and the purpose for which it is raised. With poultry farming, birds are raised as food sources, such as eggs or meat, while dairy farming involves raising animals, usually cattle, for milk production.

The agricultural science department observed March 2023 as Agricultural Science Month under the theme: "Progressing Towards Food Security".

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