Professional women in agriculture. Gaming Board auditor Chavara Roker (left) and National Workers Credit Union marketing representative Lateisha Dean are set for citrus production in North Andros. At centre is BAIC assistant general manager, Judith Thompson (BIS Photo/Gladstone Thurston)

Farming ventures in North Andros are inspiring two Bahamian women professionals toward national economic empowerment.  

Lateisha Dean, marketing representative with the National Workers Credit Union, and Chavara Roker, Gaming Board auditor, are convinced that Andros is key to solving much of the nation’s economic challenges.  

In collaboration with Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) they are set to embark on citrus production in San Andros and tap into the nation’s $500 million food import bill.  

“We are delighted to see young professional Bahamian women step forward to take the challenge to demonstrate to young women opportunities that are available in our Bahamas,” said BAIC assistant general manager Judith Thompson.  

“We will do the best we can to assist them in achieving their goals thereby inspiring the economic empowerment of a significant segment of our population.”

 
This project resonates with objectives of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the theme of which is "The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges.”  

CSW 56th session will be held from February 27 to March 9 in New York.  

In preparation for the upcoming session, an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) was held to explore a wide range of strategies that can enhance the economic empowerment of rural women and the role that agriculture can play in this regard.  

The EGM focused on:

Rural women’s strengthened role in agriculture;

Rural women’s access to productive resources, technology markets and financing;

Decent and productive employment and income-generating opportunities for rural women;

Infrastructure and service-delivery that benefit rural women;

Rural women’s role in natural resource management and climate change adaptation;

Effective institutions and enabling policy environment that promotes gender responsive rural development.

Miss Dean explained what inspired a city lady who is finding success in her career path to be lured toward rural life.  

“Based on the way things are going, I figured, why not get into something that is all natural, something that references the Bahamas, certainly out of the norm in terms of what persons would go after,” she said. “At the end of the day I decided to try citrus production as an opportunity toward economic empowerment.”  

She still finds time for an important mentorship program she spearheads. Presently she has seven girls under her wings, none of them biologically hers.  

“It’s been an interesting journey. God has blessed me and so I want to be a blessing to them,” she said. “That’s my call.”  

Miss Roker will be returning to her roots. She was born on one of the Bahamas Agriculture Research Centre (BARC) farms in North Andros and grew up there with her grand parents.  

Some two years ago she found herself pondering what was she going to do with her life.  

“It’s good to have a profession but I wanted some means of fulfilment,” she said.  

“I may not look like the typical farming girl, but I have a passion for farming. It is amazing that where you start is where you end up.”  

Having researched citrus production, with BAIC’s assistance she has obtained five acres in San Andros and 200 lime trees.  

“I am confident the venture will succeed. It is something that can sustain me for a very long time if managed properly,” said Miss Roker.  

“I see this venture as empowering other persons also as it will create jobs. I am grateful to BAIC for their assistance.”  

Miss Roker is so passionate about Andros, she sees herself returning home and assisting with that island’s development.  

“Andros has endless possibilities. We have a lot of land and we have a lot of water. There are so much opportunities with regard to entrepreneurship.”  

Miss Dean has no intention of remaining in North Andros. Her plans are to take her programme of women economic empowerment throughout the islands.  

“Chavara and I are not the norm,” she added. “However, in defying the odds, we are changing the faces of what people expect you to be.”  

Executive chairman Edison M Key has noted that much of the $500 million in food imported into The Bahamas each year can be produced here.  

BAIC has made it a goal to assist in strengthening farmers associations throughout the islands and keep them linked with leading buyers in New Providence, Abaco and Grand Bahama.  

Last month’s farmers/buyers conference attracted delegates from the Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Hotel Association and the Bahamas Culinary Association.