Photos by Raymond A. Bethel, Sr. of BIS captures the agricultural expo.
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NASSAU, The Bahamas
-- Agricultural sustainability, aimed at empowering local farmers and
cottage industry workers to increase productivity in food production was the
focus of the 2015 Gladstone Road Agricultural Expo.
Hundreds of Bahamians supported the event held at the
Gladstone Road Agricultural Center on Gladstone Road, March 5, sponsored by the
Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Local Government, coupled with
BAIC and BAMSI.
Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local
Government the Hon. Alfred Gray, attuned to the increasing popularity of the
Farmer’s Market and the community’s desire for locally-grown produce -- noted
his Ministry will give more Farmers Markets promotion and encourage weekly
listings of local produce available in the local produce exchanges.
He said: “Food security, Ladies and Gentlemen, is very
important and the Government is very serious about food security of
people. The theme for this year’s Expo is ‘Progressing Towards Food
Security, Our Food, Our Future, Our Bahamas’. This theme speaks to my
Ministry’s commitment in this regard. This Expo then demonstrates a
strong partnership between my Ministry, stakeholders, producers, and buyers
alike.
“I therefore wish to invite everyone to join my Ministry
in our efforts to promote, encourage, and stimulate the Agri-Business Sector
towards enhancing increase of supply and food security within The Bahamas.”
Minister Gray said that 9/11 has taught us well that we
cannot take anything for granted as it relates to food security, and in fact,
food provision.
“We must as a country, seek as soon as possible, to be in
a position to produce sufficient food to feed ourselves, rather than to think
of the effect of another 9/11,” said Minister Gray.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, my Ministry is pleased to be
sponsoring some 15 Agri-Business Expos. And they’ll be taking place
throughout our country. These Expos are intended to showcase what each
island produces. The Expos have already begun and we will go up to the
end of April almost every week to expose ‘The Week’ in all our Family Islands,”
said Minister Gray.
“I told you before we’ve begun and we’ve gone to
Eleuthera, we’ve gone to Inagua, and those Expos were very successful.”
Minister Gray said other Expos will take place in Grand
Bahama, Abaco, Long Island, San Salvador, and Rum Cay, Mangrove Cay, South
Andros, North Andros, Mayaguana, Crooked Island, Acklins, Cat Island, and
Exuma.
“These Expos not only highlight what is produced, but we
see them as a means of unifying our country, unifying the communities to which
these Expos take place, while helping to boost the local economy,” said
Minister Gray.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this Expo marks the seventh to be
held in New Providence. For all indications, it promises to be even
bigger and better than ever before. By mentioning BAMSI, I just want to
tell you that the Government of The Bahamas, on the advent of BAMSI, has taken
this bold step towards addressing the issue of food security for our Bahamas,
once and for all.”
Minister Gray said BAMSI’s the critical component in our
country’s infrastructure for food production and security.
“I can assure you, Ladies and Gentlemen, that this
institution will eventually become one of the greatest institutions in our
country’s development. I only invite you, whenever you visit, to have
some authorization,” said Minister Gray.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the Farmer’s Market is a big thing
around The Bahamas. I believe that Farmer’s Markets are intended to
supplement what is available for sale and the Produce Exchange, and at our
Packing Houses in the Family Islands. It is the commitment of my Ministry
that we place more emphasis on promoting these Farmer’s Markets in the
immediate future throughout The Bahamas, particularly on weekends.”
Minister Gray said this will give producers and handicraft
artisans venues for showcasing what they make; what they produce. And
they will have a ready market on the weekends to sell what they grow or what
they make.
“It is also my intention, Ladies and Gentlemen, to invite
the Produce Exchange, now under the management of BAIC, to cause a weekly list
of what is available at the Produce Exchange and the many markets in the Family
Islands, particularly the Packing Houses to be listed in the newspapers and
sometimes perhaps, on radio. So that on any given weekend, those
household keepers, and those who are willing to buy, will know what is
available before they go to the Produce Exchange,” said Minister Gray.
“And I invite you to look in the newspaper, listen to the
radio, we are going to select a
Friday or a
Monday, so that those who are
willing to go and buy from the Produce Exchange or the Packing Houses will know
what is available and what price might be per pound, so that they go with money
in hand. That makes sense to me.”
Minister Gray said he offered his congratulations in
advance to the winners and participants in the various competitions. He
thanked the schools that participated in this Expo. He also said he
appreciated the organizational efforts through the Ministry for making the Expo
a smashing success.
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