Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Banner promoting anonymous crime reporting with a phone and contact number 1 800 TIPS (8477), featuring the Crime Stoppers logo and a QR code for submitting tips.

UWI, Cave Hill to LEAD the Charge to Revive Agriculture Sector

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

The press report did not list minister of Agriculture David Estwick as among the officials present when the announcement was made this week by Professor Eudene Barriteau.

Professor Eudene Barriteau, Principal of the UWI, Cave Hill campus committed the Cave Hill campus to developing 30 acres of land that was donated to the university by the Edghills of Dukes plantation in St. Thomas a couple years ago. According to the report USD34 million will be spent to develop an agri-business creating 1500 jobs, a break from the trend of planting concrete on arable land in Barbados. Further, the entity will be designed to facilitate training and research for the Caribbean region. One could hear the enthusiasm for the venture by Principal Barriteau as she shared details about what promises to be a transformative project.

The project is to kickoff mid-next year!

She said the project, which is expected to take about two years to complete, would also accelerate the thrust towards greater self-sustainability in food production and food security with a significant portion of the almost 30 acres of land being set aside as agricultural parcels for farming. In addition, the park will accommodate agro-processing and meat-curing facilities, a chocolate manufacturing and training facility, cotton processing facilities, a food standards laboratory, a sewerage plant treatment and recreational spaces…

The project is being funded by the Government of Barbados through its bilateral aid programme with the People’s Republic of China.

Barbados Today

This is good news indeed to observe the premier learning institution in Barbados leading the charge to resuscitate the agriculture sector. The economic pundits have all slammed the door of Barbados pursuing agriculture because of high production costs. We will monitor the debate with interest.

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

106 responses to “UWI, Cave Hill to LEAD the Charge to Revive Agriculture Sector”

  1. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    We are at a lost how something like this is workable when the overall architecture supports a food importation ethos.

    Barbados has signed all types of international agreements making local agriculture unviable.

    Now we have a leading academic institution, trying to find relevance, positing some Midas touch.

    We don’t know and are reluctant to discourage but has the Cave Hill Campus not deployed tens of millions on a cricketing centre and how has that worked for us.

    The west indies cricket team has been, while this co-called high performance centre was failing, relegated to the basement of world cricket.

    Who the fuvk are these people trying to fool?

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    What some of us would do to have a look at the businessman. This is UWI, shouldn’t we give them the benefit of the doubt?

  3. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    As I have typed numerous times, agriculture as a business in Barbados will continue to fail until it is profitable.

    It cannot be profitable until it is subsidised because all of the food we import is from countries where agriculture is subsidised.

    The argument that four lettuce heads sold for 10 times market value to Sandy Lane tree huggers is going to make commercial agriculture financially viable again and reduce our food import bill is ridiculous. We need to give farmers useless Bajan currency to save valuable foreign currency.

    You could build all the classrooms you want to teach wagon-wheel manufacture; that does not mean commercially-motivated students will show up to learn how to do it or any more wagon wheels will be manufactured.

    UWI should spend the money building a real renewable energy teaching centre on the same location to attract practical thinkers from the entire Caribbean and further abroad.

    Plenty sun and wind in St. Thomas and plenty foreign students from northern countries would be attracted to a world-class education on the subject where all three occur year-round.

  4. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    We are risks takers and for a country, for an academic institution, some level of inordinate risks must always be taken, no doubt!

    While taking such risks there must be compensating factors.

    If the national and global trade regimes allow a merchant from Barbados to import carrots at half the local cost of production, how can this initiative succeed?

    The government of Barbados can’t stop them under World Trade Organization (WTO) rulings

    When the country under this wicked DLP government allows Sandals to import almost everything duty free, how can local farmers, including the UWI, make this initiative work?

    We have known too many farmers who for decades have suffered under these barriers to entry. And they have been increasing, the barriers to entry we mean, for local farmers.

    This is an old problem.

    We would prefer to see the UWI dealing with framework issues, not details. There are many people out there, if given land, that are good at this.

    Would it not be better to first find ways to exit irrational international trading arrangements?

  5. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    BTW, we have always had a certain liking for Ms Barriteau

    Don’t get us wrong

    And there are many forms of emerging agricultural practices for which a university could be helpful. But nothing could be achieved given the frameworks, the lack of land reform, etc.

    But shiite is shiite!

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    If you factor the land was donated and the project financing is at a concessionary rate or grant funding perhaps there is room for a low rate of return? Perhaps the aim is to breakeven? Who knows!

  7. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    No. To us that reasoning is incomplete. Is this a institution whose core business is education or not?

  8. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    Do you know how many PhDs we have in the MOA.

  9. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Pacha is right.

    UWI always tends to look at first-world-inspired approaches rather than try to build on natural, indigenous, ‘tried and proven’ practices.

    Jumping into a multimillion dollar project such as this may sound impressive to the do-nothing PhDs on the hill, but it is about as practical as the equally idiotic multi-million dollar Harrison’s Cave development we undertook some years ago.

    Far better to develop some basic, well structured, green-house based, micro-farms, built around a small, but expandable agro-processing plant, with attached financing, business guidance and marketing support – and probably leading to a Diploma in Agricultural Management or some such shiite title for successful participants.

    Sir Cave Hilary started that UWI shiite of always wanting to operate like Bill Gates – even while broke as shiit…and can’t even get the hundreds of millions owed by Government…

    Steupss..
    The only beneficiaries of this will be the consultants, lawyers and other professionals who will extract their ‘professional fees’ up front …before every one realise that the project is dead…..

  10. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David,

    This UWI project could be successful.

    It is a good starting point to improve agriculture and create food security in Barbados.

  11. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    The only beneficiaries of this will be the consultants, lawyers and other professionals who will extract their ‘professional fees’ up front …EVAN THOUGH THEY ALREADY KNOW FROM INCEPTION that the project is dead….. ah lie?

  12. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Georgie Porgie and Bush Tea,

    Have either of you been farmers in Barbados ?

  13. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Sir,
    May I suggest that an agricultural project such as this could have been carried out in Dominica or Guyana, still under the oversight of the UWI, where there is plenty available land, leaving what little land there is in Barbados to be used much more productively.
    Such a development would still meet the security needs of Barbados – and the rest of Caricom – and the educational needs of agronomists and other young farmers. We must think outside the box.

  14. GreenMonkey Avatar
    GreenMonkey

    Maybe the video below from Brazil might provide some inspiration for this UWI project. There are already at least two Bajan projects implementing some of the agroecological techniques used by Brazilian peasant farmers in the video to nourish and revitalize their soils. I’m referring to Paul Bourne of PEG Farm on the top of Hackleton’s Cliff in St. Joseph and the Walker’s Sand Quarry revitalization project in St. Andrew which is making some excellent progress in turning an abandoned sand mine pit from a sandy desert into a flourishing food forest.

    See: visitbarbados(DOT)org/peg-farm-and-nature-reserve
    walkersreserve(DOT)com

    Soil, Struggle and Justice
    Published on Oct 24, 2014

    This film examines a cooperative of the Brazilian Landless Movement (MST) in the South of Brazil, which struggled for access to land and then transitioned to ecological agriculture, or agroecology. This MST cooperative is demonstrating the possibility of an alternative model of flourishing rural life, which provides thriving livelihoods for farmers, produces high quality and low cost food for the region, and rehabilitates the earth.

    The Director, Andreas Hernandez, is chair of the Department of International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College.

    (Video is in Portuguese with English subtitles)

  15. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Hants October 11, 2017 at 10:30 AM #
    @ Georgie Porgie and Bush Tea,

    Have either of you been farmers in Barbados ?

    YES SIR

  16. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Hal A
    May I suggest that an agricultural project such as this could have been carried out in Dominica or Guyana,
    +++++++++++
    The University is using land for the project donated by the owners of a Bajan plantation in BARBADOS, the University is using it in ways that they see fit in BARBADOS. Why should it be moved to another country and what would you propose they do with the land if by some quirk of fate your proposal wasn’t laughed from here to kingdom come?

  17. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Sargeant,
    Are you suggesting a university-run agricultural project, based in Dominica or Guyana, even id they have been ‘given’ land in Barbados, is laughable?

  18. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Halton Austin

    Is often wrong but on this matter he is quite right.

    That is the plan barrow et al laid out 50 years ago

  19. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Hal A

    It has everything to do with where the donated land is situated, it is neither in Dominica nor Guyana.

  20. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Sargeant,
    Donated land has nothing to do with the decision; it is the sustainability and contribution of the project within the wider Caricom community. But If that is your view there is nothing more to discuss.

  21. chad99999 Avatar
    chad99999

    Interesting that UWI is taking itself seriously as an “engine of economic growth”, but we cannot really comment intelligently on this proposal until we know many more details.

    Barriteau is one of those know-nothing gender ideologues who pushes paper at UWI. So who will be doing the heavy lifting? That is, who will be the project managers responsible for all the ambitious deliverables mentioned in the announcement?

  22. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Interesting…..Frustrated,Bush Tea&GP……are all making valid points.

    I see nothing innovative/new in this other than the optimal production of black belly sheep for its hide in order to provide leather for export……a worthwhile endeavour supported by COW.

    It would have made more sense for the UWI to use the site to do trials for the production of hemp most suitable for the soils of Bim,the same way Grove’s agricultural station did with cane.

    Aqua-ponics,again trials in order to show us how to do best practice.

    Likewise…..Solar Green houses….how to regulate temperatures for optimum production of different types of crops suited for cooler climes.

    A processing unit for food crops,a sausage making plant and all the areas that training is required throughout the Caribbean.

    Note the Ministry of Agriculture,CARDI,IICA all have sites to carry on trials for the agricultural needs of Bim’s traditional farming practices and they liaise with the farming bodies of the Caribbean.

  23. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    We must promote 4H clubs in Barbados. There are not enough of them.

  24. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    There are just too many shiite talkers in Barbados…. possibly a consequence of the overabundance of brass bowls to assimilate the lotta jobby.

    Why take a simple matter that can be solved bu adding and subtracting, …and try to solve it using complex calculus?
    ….because it makes shiite hounds feel intelligent?

    All that is needed is a VIABLE, cooperative approach that seeks to push agriculture as a PROGRESSIVE, scientific, profitable profession (which the shiite university could accomplish quite easily …except that the useless academic up there DO NOT SUBSCRIBE to anything but useless academic gibberish as worthy of their efforts….

    Set up a few LOW COST, Aqua-phonic /green house / controlled environment/ mini farms with production targeted to a small agro-processing plant with guaranteed sales – possibly all Cooperatively owned, ….and in short order, many INTELLIGENT young people will be into the business with gusto… bringing their CREATIVITY with them.

    Instead, we hear shiite about $60M investments…. being controlled by academic jokers who can’t even grow weed of the lawn variety…… and who don’t have two red cents to rub together.

    Steupssss..

    If UWI wants to save Barbados some money, they can simply get together with CXC and shut shop. We can send the damn students to a real- real university somewhere …. it would DEFINITELY be cheaper …and the damn students would be FAR more likely to graduate into something more than a clerk for some Trickidadian /Canadian bosses…

    @ Hants
    Have either of you been farmers in Barbados ?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Bushie is (and long has been). State of the art too – Boss.
    But micro size ….for bushman consumption only.

    Will not waste good organic food on brass bowls….
    Let them eat Cheffette..
    LOL
    ha ha ha

  25. angela Skeete Avatar
    angela Skeete

    @Hants that is the most sensible i have ever read from you. At least your brain is good for something. Never mind the intellectual johnnies who frequent BU with no other alternatves but to produce stage fright in the movie doom gloomers and nay sayer.
    Oh btw hants with winter right around the corner i suggest you keep the heater on high.in that way your brain would not be frozen.
    Looking forward to more intelligent comments from you
    Have a nice day

  26. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Hal

    We need communities to function again,when last has anyone heard from the govt agency dealing with communities. These officers knew their communities and would approach an agency indicating a need for a club to fill a need.

    In the past the Min. of Ag. needed a steady supply of farmers hence 4-H clubs,the Police saw the need to nip violence in the bud,hence boys&girls clubs,the church had theirs and then the schools with the traditional ones Scouts,Guides&Cadets.

  27. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Vincent Haynes October 11, 2017 at 12:22 PM #

    IT IS IRONICAL THAT YOUR PROPOSALS AND THOSE OF BUSH TEA IS WHAT THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE SHOULD LONG HAVE BEEN DOING AT GRAHAM HALL AND ELSEWHERE

    THE PROJECTS YOU GUYS PROPOSE IS AN EXAMPLE OF TEACHING FOLK TO FISH, AND SOME IF NOT ALL COULD BE INTRODUCED IN 4-H CLUBS AS HANTS SUGGESTS, AND ALL THROUGH OUT SCHOOLS ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT ACADEMICALLY GIFTED

  28. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    GP

    The future of Ag. lies with our communities and its young people and the 4-H clubs are a worthwhile vehicle to use to achieve it.

    This UWI Ag. project seems not to have the support of the Min of Ag.,I wonder why?

    I have indicated the number of agencies involved in Ag. presently operating in Bim and we know that the Ag. college is located in T&T,so other than optimising the production of quality black sheep hides,which is supported by COW,what other purpose will this new entity serve.

    Yours and Bushies point to benefit of the professionals is worthy of note.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    Yours is an outdated model given the structure of today’s society in Barbados.

  30. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Vincent,
    I was a founder-member of a 4-H club operating out of Belmont School. I believe it was one of the first. The guy from the ministry was named Mr Sealy, a well-built light-skinned man who wore short Khaki trousers and white shirts. I am sure his children and grand children must still be around.
    He was remarkably helpful, and even got our minute books printed by the government printer. He attended all our meetings. Of course, we were in our early teens and had no idea of the potential of the club, but we swore to our heads, hearts, hands and health. When I visit Barbados I still point out to friends and relatives trees that I planted as a kid.
    It was one America idea that could be of enormous benefit to little Barbados.

  31. Well Well & Consequences Observing Blogger. Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences Observing Blogger.

    “UWI should spend the money building a real renewable energy teaching centre on the same location to attract practical thinkers from the entire Caribbean and further abroad.

    Plenty sun and wind in St. Thomas and plenty foreign students from northern countries would be attracted to a world-class education on the subject where all three occur year-round.”

    Brilliant…I believe it’s China and one or two of the hurricane ravaged islands have solar panels on the ground, no building required…why after the innovative solar heating and the death of Professor Headley Barbados totally dropped out from anything creative, innovative and refuse to allow their creatives and genuises to flourish……do they now realize it has been to their own detriment and downfall….they are now flat on their backsides because of backwardness.

  32. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    David October 11, 2017 at 1:51 PM #
    @Vincent

    Yours is an outdated model given the structure of today’s society in Barbados.
    IT IS OUTDATED FOR MOST OF THE SO CALLED EDUCATED SNOBS WHO FEEL THAT THEY ARE HIGHER UP AND BETTER OFF

    THERE ARE AGRARIAN SOCIETIES OR COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD
    WE MUST RETURN TO OUR ROOTS
    SOME OF OUR PARENTS DID NOT HAVE LAND, THY DID NOT WANT TO WORK FOR THE PLANTOCRACY SO THEY HATED AGRICULTURE
    BUT THE MODEL SUGGESTED IS RELEVANT TO THE MANY WHO NOW OWN A HALF ACRE OR MORE
    THERE MUST BE CO-OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING TO AVOID GLUTS BUT A LOT CAN BE ACHIEVED ON HALF ACRE WORKING IN A FEW NICHESI

  33. David Avatar
    David

    @GP

    The majority of ‘new’ neighborhoods labour under covenants that prevent the kind of attitude to agriculture we need to make this sector breath again.

  34. chad99999 Avatar
    chad99999

    Solar…Aqua-phonic… Hydroponic… whatever.

    These are not do-it-yourself technologies. To be efficient, you need to be taught by experts.
    How do we arrange for that?

  35. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Bushie

    You think Bajans would ever be willing to endure the bitter medicine required to revolutionized the food industry, unless there are no other choices.

    It will require a lot of hard decisions including the shutting down of a lot of supermarkets

    Putting the country on death’s ground ( Sun Tzu). Produce or perish.

    Ban the importation of food.

    We might have to have a military dictator for a few years boosie. LOL

    This country doesn’t have any history of these circumstances.

  36. Chad99999 Avatar
    Chad99999

    Can you tell Pacha is a mass-murderer-in-waiting (aka Marxist revolutionary) with an altar to Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot in his den?

  37. vincent haynesw Avatar
    vincent haynesw

    David

    Greenhouse technology is ideally suited for back yards as well as hydroponics and aquaponicsa,hence my wish for these modern age sciences to be taught at this new UWI complex.

    The time must come for poultry and rabbit rearing to be allowed the newer developments…..excellent fertiliser source.

  38. David Avatar
    David

    @chad99999

    Relax, don’t bring the BS to every blog. It is tiring man!

  39. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    re above …..aquaponics…….modern Ag. science.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    Agree with that point Vincent but it does not lend itself to mass adoption and to the backyard. To get agriculture going bajans will have to encourage the Guyanese to come back:-)

  41. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Hal

    I believe the Mr Sealy you refer was better known as “bright eyes” due his greenish eyes…..he was the longest serving 4-H organiser as the CEO was called back then when it was attached to the Min. of Ag.

    The Bridgetown Jaycees assisted the clubs to establish the 4-H Foundation when the Ministry could no longer afford the cost of running it…..they did provide an annual subvention and access to support staff and buildings.

  42. Chad99999 Avatar
    Chad99999

    David

    I take exception to your biased BS.

    Pacha wrote about “bitter medicine”, “Putting the country on death’s ground. Produce or perish”. What the buck do you think that means?

    You are tiresome — with your coddling of this violent madman.

  43. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    David

    Many levels to approach Ag. from e.g. heights&terraces can grow trees and supply small quantities of coconuts,breadfruit,limes,pepper,passion fruit,mangoes,mammy apples,golden apples,fruits generally……greenhouses can produce potatoes,herbs,tomatoes,small crops….these can be sold to a central purchaser at a guaranteed price for him to supply supermarkets,processing plant or export.

  44. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    Good luck getting this middle class to replace the hyprid bushes to flower the fences with some pea trea and the like.

    @chad99999

    Don’t be a jackass, the blog should not be about cussing commenters with monikers. Think about it. A good commenter is one who we want to read the message for its learning properties.

  45. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Greenhouse technology is ideally suited for back yards as well as hydroponics and aquaponicsa,hence my wish for these modern age sciences to be taught at this new UWI complex AND IN ALL SCHOOLS.
    IF IT IS PRACTICED IN ALL HOMES, PRODUCE CAN BE USED IN THE HOME AND THE SURPLUS SOLD TO PAY BASIC HOUSEHOLD BILLS AT LEAST……..AND MORE
    SOME ONE WILL HAVE TO ADOPT A SERIOUS LAW ABOUT FOOD PRODUCTION IN BIM AND ENFORCE IT

  46. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    Don’t worry, we’ll let that ball pass, man

  47. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Georgie Porgie and Bush Tea,

    I used to know a lot about farming in Barbados but that was a long time ago.

    I was a real real farmer fuh trute. lol

  48. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    GP

    Schools are a problem especially with aqua-ponics,during the vacations problems arise with who is looking after what and when…….I had an experience with one school where all the rabbits starved to death over the summer period,would not want that to happen with the fish.

    About 25 years ago the new IICA rep. for Bim,who was a junior Ag, minister in Quebec attempted to explain to the BAS the benefits of allocating crops to farmers and time shedules……..to this day we still have gluts and famines.

  49. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    David

    Funnily enough as I was reading your post Min of Ag. Chieg Lennox Chandler stated on the VoB 4.30 news that they are undertaking a programme for householders to start planting in their backyards.

    I too wish him luck.

  50. Talking Loud Saying Nothing Avatar
    Talking Loud Saying Nothing

    Really interesting debate. The UWI’s proposal to rejuvenate the agricultural industry will end in failure for the reasons already registered. The remedy for ressurecting agriculture is simple: free up the land!

    Outside of Barbados there are many individuals and organisations who are pushing for a more sustainable community-led form of agriculture.

    I disagree with Alvin’s comments when he stated that we should abandon agriculture and leave it to other Caricom nations to become the bread basket for the region. According to Alvin, Barbados should concentrate on other niche areas to earn its living without stating what those niche areas are. Well, Well and Consequences posted that the country lacks creativity and innovation and i agree with her. Which would leave us little to fall back on apart from agriculture. As a society we should embrace – wholeheartedly – this industry. Within a short period the agricultural industry could become creative and competitive.

    By freeing up the land it will bring much required synergy to our economy. Check out the Urban Farmer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbHwAfHQA9M). To me this represents a more inclusive, bottom up approach for addressing our agricultural needs in contrast to proposals from the UWI.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading