est. 2007

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Food Security Project at Todds Plantation

Submitted by Heather Cole   Heather Cole is asking for the public’s support to ensure the success of a food security project at the Todds Plantation. Dear Prospective Investors and Members,     Although the conception of the People’s Agricultural and Business Co-op was done prior to COVID-19, we did not anticipate that our fears…

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Submitted by Heather Cole

 

Heather Cole is asking for the public’s support to ensure the success of a food security project at the Todds Plantation.

Dear Prospective Investors and Members,

 

 

Although the conception of the People’s Agricultural and Business Co-op was done prior to COVID-19, we did not anticipate that our fears would have been realized months later when this global pandemic began to wreak havoc on the economy. COVID-19 has exposed the harsh reality that insufficient food is being grown on the island that Barbadians call home.

It has been said that Barbadians do not work together for economic gain. With this in mind, The People’s Agricultural and Business Co-operative Ltd. is seeking to become an agent of change in Barbados. It is providing an opportunity for ordinary Barbadians to economically come together through the formation of this co-op to grow food, produce by- products, engage in marine farming, grow agri- produce and engage in several other business activities…

Relevant Supporting Document:

 

 

 

267 responses to “Food Security Project at Todds Plantation”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    The government can always do more to encourage private sector engagement. The Private sector can always do more to force relevant polices, especially in a dysfunctional market..

  2. curley16 Avatar
    curley16

    John has some good points ,which should be heeded. Crop rotation with king Sugar Cane. Excellent!

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @GP

    Your approach is never the answer. We exist in a world where there will always be disagreement for good and not so good reasons. The best approach is always to say and do the right thing which is to enlighten the audience as you understand it. Bear in mind there are those who stay silent on the blog. John is a mere mortal, on some subject matters he makes sense and others his views are asinine. The same is true for the blogmaster et al. This is an opinion sharing space.

  4. GP Avatar
    GP

    MY APPROACH IS MY ANSWER.
    WHEREAS IT IS GOOD to enlighten the audience as you understand it. I AM NOT HERE TO BE MOCKED BY OBVIOUS MORONS
    IF ONE WANTS TO SHARE OPINIONS, MY VIEW IS THAT ONE SHOULD BE ACCURATE. I AM A CREATURE OF MY TRAINING, AND HAVE NO PLAN TO DEPART THEREFROM.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    If it is your approach abide by it and allow others to abide by theirs.

  6. john2 Avatar
    john2

    THERE is a lot of old time and new time knowledge about agriculture out there. As mentioned be HC, you cannot buy/rent a tractor, plough, plant hedgerow krus krus , acres of pumpkins and early yams between the canes unless you HAVE LAND.

    To get land you have to get money. Without the money all the brilliant suggestions will stay in the box or will be pull by a those with the money and of a different race than us.

    I wonder if the other races that “group funds” their business ventures does have the same problems as we blacks?
    We are all bare big and bold talk but when i come to talking action we ar full of excuses not to take the (not jump/plunge) first steps.

    THE LAND IS AVAILABLE! THE MONEY IS NOT.

    $125 for membership

    IF its a COOP then it should be legally registered in Barbados and you money should be safe .

    Right now HC is not asking for money up front – SHE IS ASKING FOR PLEDGES (probably to see how viable the venture can be)

    Every venture goes one step at a time. I remember when the NUPW Credit Union was renting space from th union at Dalkeith.
    Now where is it today? Compare the structure at dalkeith to the one at Belmont rd see the progress of that CU.

    Let us support this venture. “WE” need to get to get the land first.

    Those in doubt – just verify that the co-op is legal and just sign the pledge sheets for the minimum for now.

    STOP BEING CRAB IN THE BARREL AND LET US GO ON THIS ONE

  7. john2 Avatar
    john2

    As a co-op there is an umbrella body under which this new co-op can get assistance and advice..
    Members would have voting power
    etc etc.
    There SHOULD be rules and regulations. if the venture does not get off the ground then you pledge will die with it.

    FOR THE NEXT STEP – YOUR PLEDGES ARE NEEDED!

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @John2

    What are are seeing here is what plays out nationally. We have been told the civil servants are the most academically acco pkished to be found anywhere in the world. Tnata PhDs at the MoA. Agree we have to applaud Heather for trying to do something positive.

  9. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    I don’t think most of the comments are meant to be dismissive of the proposal but are more critical in that risk averse way bajans tend to critique things.

    As stated in one of my earlier comments, I do hope you are successful but I personally believe the bidding process was structured from the start to only allow a targeted type of bidder to win while maintaining the illusion of choice and you stand a snowball’s chance in hell. But I tend to see conspiracies in all government related projects whether B, D or otherwise.

    Regardless of the success or failure of this specific proposal, this process will give an extremely great starting point and I am sure gave you improvements to consider and the proposal can be tweaked and made to numerous other dormant plantations and will eventually succeed.

  10. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    I don’t know if this issue has been addressed before but wouldn’t an enterprise of this nature require massive amounts of water? How many agricultural entities in Barbados receive water from their own sources rather than water from civic supplier? Isn’t St. John one of the water scarce areas in Barbados?

    I am always willing to be educated

  11. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    John 2,

    You want us to leap before looking? When has that been a smart thing to do? I said I will consider it and I will.

  12. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Donna

    I told you already. no need to leap if you not sure. Until you verify there is nothing wrong with taking a first step/ support the cause – sign the pledge sheet for the minimum (put in in ur son name). after you verify you can invest your millions.

    $125 aint going to “brek” you or me

    and for now its just PLEDGING .

  13. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Sargeant August 22, 2020 11:17 AM
    The lower margin crops and most ground provisions tend to planted at particular times of the year to take advantage of the rainfall. That is why ground provision prices vary so much because there is a planting season most farmers follow or you will loose money.

    Farmers planting higher margin cash crops like seasoning and cabbages will tend to have irrigation in place since those margins will offset the BWA water rates.

    Subject to correction, you are not allowed to drill your own water well but some farms in areas with streams might have a dam setup and there is also water available for agriculture purposes from the BADMC(I think) in some areas which is at a cheaper rate.

  14. john2 Avatar
    john2

    SARGE

    TODDS IS on the broder of st john/ st george. not in the water scarce area below st john church.
    Sweet vale pumping station and golden ridge reservior nearby.
    years back they used to harvest runoff rain water from the road

  15. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    There is a science to this farming thing and most farmers in the business either have it down or learn from others along the way but where we are seriously failing is the distribution, marketing and agro-processing to preserve what we produce part of the business.

    If we can solve that part, farmers will really see the profits and tons of land will automatically come back into production. All other areas of the farming process e.g. pest protection and research are fairly well covered.

  16. john2 Avatar
    john2

    The trees to the left the encircled a green patch was one of the dams for the run off.

    The pic at the start of this article

  17. David Avatar
    David

    There are other issues, larceny and a consumer taste bred on foreign. Hopefully Covid if it persist will force change. Imagine there may be good in a pandemic. Says a lot about an intelligent people.

  18. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    Finally, I believe we have outlived the large plantation model and should switch to a new model based on leasing a minimum half acre lots on a yearly basis to anyone willing to register as a farmer and properly manage the lot.

  19. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @WURA-War-on-U August 22, 2020 3:25 AM “we have been talking food first for decades and all ya dumbass leaders have been talking about is tourists, which ya CANNOT EAT EITHER….they should never have stopped putting food first, we should not still be saying food first after 400 years of understanding that EVERYONE HAS TO EAT”

    $150million a year would provide all of the cultivation equipment needed to revitalize farming in Barbados. Lots of small and smallish farmer’s like me can’t afford to purchase their own cultivation equipment and there is sometimes a too long wait to hire equipment and a ploughman from government or the private sector.

    I remember when all of my village was cultivated. People worked on the plantations for small wages, but also cultivated their own family and or rented land. Almost all grew sugar cane, but all also grew traditional root crops, yams, sweet potatoes, eddoes, cassava, and also corn, peanuts, pumpkins, squash, peppers and so on.

    I am not sure if the government had its fields up and running for this season, or if this is the season of talk. I rarely agree with John, but government needs to release plots to people in the communities so that people can do their official jobs if they still have one but also grow food for themselves, their families and their communities. If the government does not want to sell or small and medium sized farmers can’t afford to buy, maybe government can start with 5 year leases, automatically renewable for subsequent five year periods as long as the land is kept in food production.

    There are only about five or six plots being farmed in my community now. All of the land in that community is owned by “poor black people” much of it bought with Panama money. There is one particular farmer an elderly Vincentian man farming a plot leased from another poor black family, and he is exemplary. His 2 acre plot is a joy to behold.

    I don’t worry too much about sales. My experience is that people appreciate having access to fresh, healthy food. If the food is good, people will buy. I don’t think that Barbados is in danger of producing too much good, healthy, tasty, food.

  20. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @David August 22, 2020 12:13 PM “There are other issues, larceny and a consumer taste bred on foreign.”

    If the people can’t afford grapes and strawberries you will see how quickly they will consume coconut water and golden apple juiice, and mangoes and avocados, and cashews and fat porks, and gooseberries and tamarinds, and not forgetting ackees.

    If Covid lasts much longer you will see how quickly people will stop being “poor great poppits”

  21. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    I remember when one could book cultivation services, in those days we had to walk or ride our bicycles to the rural agricultural station, and on some day before the serious rains began a man with a plough , [it was always a man in those days] would turn up and he would work all day ploughing the fields for the various small farmers in the community, and then the farming families would plant, weed and later harvest and eat the food crops. Sell the sugarcane to a nearby factory.

    Nowadays we should be able to book thoe services via the internet. The families can and should still supply much of the labour because they would be working for themselves. People ted to work harder and better when they are working for themselves.

    What if we had got 750 small farmers back into production while we figure out how to get a 750 acre lot into production.

  22. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @ Critical Analyzer August 22, 2020 12:19 PM “Finally, I believe we have outlived the large plantation model”

    True.

    Because the large plantation model was predicated on producing a mono crop, in our case sugar for a huge guaranteed metropolitan market, in our case London.

    So will we starve ourselves because that model was never designed to feed families?

  23. John Avatar
    John

    DavidAugust 22, 2020 8:58 AM

    How does growing sugar cane address food security concerns?

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Worked pretty well during WWII!!

    Simple reason, don’t need extensive areas to produce a lot of food.

    But crop rotation benefits both food and sugar production.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    Are we not told the cost of production of sugar cane outweighs the return these days? It is the economics and not nostalgia that will determine the viability of the business plan.

  25. John Avatar
    John

    john2August 22, 2020 12:03 PM

    SARGE

    TODDS IS on the broder of st john/ st george. not in the water scarce area below st john church.
    Sweet vale pumping station and golden ridge reservior nearby.
    years back they used to harvest runoff rain water from the road

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Bowmanston Pumping station is next door.

    It derives its water from a stream 267 feet underground.

    It can’t even supply the needs of St. John residents.

    True you could extract downstream, BUUUUUT, the stream supplies the sheet water in the St. George Valley and Hampton takes its water from this sheet water.

    Sometimes it can’t even supply St. Philip residents.

    Could make sinkholes into ponds but all you have to do is to drive through the St. John Valley and you will see numerous such attempts empty.

    There’s been a drought!!

    They do fill.

    This year should be good rainfall and they may fill but for how long!!

    Whatever crops are grown on the land need to be able to withstand the drought years.

    Do I hear someone say sugar cane? …. ancestors were geniuses!!

    Now, if you look in the St. John Valley and in other areas you will see green houses.

    They are on a small area but can produce high value crops which contribute to breakeven, sometimes profits.

    Depending on the output there may not be a need for large volumes of water.

  26. John Avatar
    John

    JohnAugust 22, 2020 3:27 PM

    john2August 22, 2020 12:03 PM

    SARGE

    TODDS IS on the broder of st john/ st george. not in the water scarce area below st john church.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Bowmanston supplies the “water scarce” area below St. John Church and it is at times a water scarce area because Bowmanston is at times a water scarce pumping station!!

    Everywhere in Barbados is potentially a water scarce area!!

    Hence need for crops and techniques that don’t require lots of water.

  27. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “$150million a year would provide all of the cultivation equipment needed to revitalize farming in Barbados. Lots of small and smallish farmer’s like me can’t afford to purchase their own cultivation equipment and there is sometimes a too long wait to hire equipment and a ploughman from government or the private sector.”

    that’s why the article drew my attention…150 million taxpayers dollars a year to lock up Black people for marijuana and the government is said to only reel in 10 million a year from fines etc in that dumb exercise, while backlogging the court system so that a bunch of parasite lawyers and judges can feed off the people….how the hell does that even make sense…that money could buy and MAINTAIN farming equipment, the people they are locking up ,mostly young, vulnerable helpless people can have their own land and equipment to work it…..but ya idiot leaders prefer run a prison instead……through their VECO scam…

    low intellect leaders cannot think any better…….

  28. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Nowadays we should be able to book thoe services via the internet. The families can and should still supply much of the labour because they would be working for themselves. People ted to work harder and better when they are working for themselves.

    What if we had got 750 small farmers back into production while we figure out how to get a 750 acre lot into production.”

    everyone should have their own plot of land to work, no one wants to go work on anyone’s land.

  29. John Avatar
    John

    There is a large water main running down through the forested area of Hackleton’s cliff by Edgecliff Plantation.

    The natural cutting in the rock that has been used as a way up and down the cliff for generations and is called “Pipe Cutting”.

    Monkey Jump, The Ladder, Malvern Cutting and a couple of others spring to mind.

  30. John Avatar
    John

    Cuhdear BajanAugust 22, 2020 3:05 PM

    @ Critical Analyzer August 22, 2020 12:19 PM “Finally, I believe we have outlived the large plantation model”

    True.

    Because the large plantation model was predicated on producing a mono crop, in our case sugar for a huge guaranteed metropolitan market, in our case London.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The large plantations of the 1900’s were based on the availability of steam and lots of milling capacity.

    After WWII, there was a market for as much sugar as we could produce and there were economies of scale.

    Do you realise the world sugar market is 10 times the size it was at the end of WWII.

    And for the foreseeable future it will be growing as world population and demand grows.

    Seems to me we should look again at this market.

  31. GP Avatar
    GP

    RE Do you realise the world sugar market is 10 times the size it was at the end of WWII.
    And for the foreseeable future it will be growing as world population and demand grows.
    Seems to me we should look again at this market.

    JOHN, ONE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A FUNCTIONING BRAIN TO APPRECIATE THIS.
    IN ADDITION XYLITOL, CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM BAGASSE

    HERE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF FOLK OPINING WITHOUT KNOWING ABOUT WHAT THEY SPEAK, AND PRACTICING THE FALLACY OF THE UNINCLUDED MIDDLE
    SIMPLY HILARIOUS ]

    RE Monkey Jump, The Ladder, Malvern Cutting]

    VERY BEAUTIFUL; Quiet secluded and serene area
    ONE REMEMBERS ONE SATURDAY PREPARING TO LEAD A STOP AND STARE WALK THROUGH THIS AREA IN THE 90’S, BUT WE CHANGED THE ROUTE THE NEXT MORNING

  32. John Avatar
    John

    Here is what the world sugar price has looked like since the 1960’s

    https://www.macrotrends.net/2537/sugar-prices-historical-chart-data

  33. David Avatar
    David

    The issue is that there are other sugar cane producers that produce sugar at a lower cost because of economies of scale and mechanization. Also there are alternatives to sugar cane as a raw material.

  34. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Oh dear God!

    John has shown that he knows what he is talking about here. So have a few others.

    No-one has tried to tell John he doesn’t know what he is talking about here. When it comes to these matters no-one really does.

    Steupse!

    Yuh mean all de time so??????

  35. GP Avatar
    GP

    No-one has tried to tell John he doesn’t know what he is talking about here.BECAUSE THEY CANT! BUT SOME ARE STILL TRYING.
    CANE CAN BE GROWN WITH INTERCROPPING AND NICHE MARKETING PRACTICED AS IT WAS AT HARROW OR COLLETON.

    WE HEAR THAT there are other sugar cane producers that produce sugar at a lower cost because of economies of scale and mechanization BUT IS IT NOT ALSO TRUE THAT MANY COUNTRIES HAVE MUCH CHEAPER TOURISM PRODUCTS THAN WE DO. ARE WE NOT STILL PURSUING TOURISM WHOLESALE.

    BARE SPORT IN THE RUM SHOP. HILARIOUS!

  36. David Avatar
    David

    Sugar cane was profitable for Barbados in the past because of access to preferred markets. The issue here is not the technology of producing sugar. It is about doing so profitably. Do you understand?

  37. GP Avatar
    GP

    I AM NOT A JACKASS DAVID
    I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT
    BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TAKING ABOUT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I DONT KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT
    I HAVE SAID NOTHING ABOUT THE the technology of producing sugar.

  38. David Avatar
    David

    It does not matter you are not talking about it. What is the crux of the matter – producing sugar cane in Barbados has been calculated to be unprofitable. We can grow it but where will Heather generate the dividend for shareholders?

  39. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    I agree sugar as we currently produce and sell it is uneconomical but it can be made economical with some spill off benefits by planting certain breeds of sugar to target specific niche markets and cottage industries such as the rum, molasses and sugar sachets used by hotels, restaurants and homes. If memory serves me right, planting of sugar generally plays a role in controlling the proliferation of weeds and has been integrated into plantation’s overall crop rotation process to help maintain soil fertility.

    Agriculture in Barbados is profitable but it requires thinking outside the box and targeting non-traditional markets we never touched before to really make the profits.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    Who will show us the numbers?

  41. GP Avatar
    GP

    CRITICAL ANALYSER
    PLEASE KINDLY SAY THIS AGAIN………SLOWLY
    it can be made economical with some spill off benefits by planting certain breeds of sugar to target specific niche markets and cottage industries such as the rum, molasses and sugar sachets used by hotels, restaurants and homes. If memory serves me right, planting of sugar generally plays a role in controlling the proliferation of weeds and has been integrated into plantation’s overall crop rotation process to help maintain soil fertility.

    Agriculture in Barbados is profitable but it requires thinking outside the box and targeting non-traditional markets we never touched before to really make the profits.

    FOR HEATHER COLE’S CO-OP PROPOSAL TO WORK SOME SUGAR CULTIVATION AS OUTLINED ABOVE IS A NECESSITY . NOT ONLY IS IT A GRASS THAT SUITABLE TO OUR CLIMATE, BUT IT IS A CROP WITH WHICH WE ARE FAMILIAR

    Agriculture in Barbados is profitable but it requires thinking outside the box and targeting non-traditional markets we never touched before to really make the profits. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE EXTRACTION OF XYLITOL

    NOT ONLY HAVE I BEEN INVOLVED IN FARMING BUT I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MEN TO EVER GRACE AGRICULTURE IN BARBADOS, AND EXCELLENT TEACHING FROM CDB EXPERTS.

    THAT IS WHY I WILL SCOFF AT BU BETZPAENICS ON THIS MATTER
    I DONT TALK ABOUT THINGS OF WHICH I KNOW NOTHING

  42. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    The only person who can show us the numbers is us by looking at our situation, doing our own research and calculating the numbers.

    Using sugar as an example but it applies to all agricultural products. Let’s say you find a drink factory interested in a particularly high grade of molasses they have problems sourcing to maintain the high quality ingredients required for an expensive drink they make. You might be able to enter into a contract guaranteeing said company certain quantities of sugar cane raised under specific conditions necessary to produce the high grade molasses they need.

    The old plant anything and try to sell it mentality no longer works.

  43. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @John August 22, 2020 3:43 PM “Do you realise the world sugar market is 10 times the size it was at the end of WWII.
    And for the foreseeable future it will be growing as world population and demand grows.”

    Market for cane sugar?

    Beet sugar?

    Corn sugar?

  44. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @GP August 22, 2020 6:06 PM “I AM NOT A JACKASS DAVID”

    You sure?

  45. GP Avatar
    GP

    VERY SURE! WAS ALWAYS BRIGHT! PREDICTED TO BE AN ISLAND SCHOLAR AT AGE SIX!
    ALWAYS HIGHLY RESPECTED BY MY PEERS WHEREVER I HAVE BEEN.

  46. John2 Avatar
    John2

    Why does the sugar part have to be profitable? Cant it break Even or close to Even? It got its other advantages AS mentioned. And the income will help employ the workers

    You all forgetting the chickens sheep and anamils etc

  47. John Avatar
    John

    So, if we can accept sugar and food can coexist as they did for 100’s of years what we are accepting is that while sugar may be unprofitable on its own when linked with the production of food the two together have an economic value.

    Together they may still be unprofitable but there is an economic benefit to subsidizing the activity.

    Food security is hard to quantify financially.

    So, if we can add 1 and 1 and get 2 maybe there are other economic activities that naturally fit with the two which can produce even higher economic benefits than food security.

    When taken as a whole, they may not only produce economic benefits but also financial benefits.

  48. John Avatar
    John

    DavidAugust 22, 2020 6:21 PM

    It does not matter you are not talking about it. What is the crux of the matter – producing sugar cane in Barbados has been calculated to be unprofitable. We can grow it but where will Heather generate the dividend for shareholders?

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Once sugar was abandoned on the basis of its unprofitability, it also removed food security!!

    Obviously people before us had it worked out.

    We came along not understanding and destroyed wholesale based on idiot logic.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    This is a private venture. To produce sugar would mean having to depend on the government to maintain a reasonable price for grinding given it is a highly subsidized operation. The risk is too great.

  50. GP Avatar
    GP

    WHERE THERE IS A WILL- THERE IS A WAY.
    EVEN POSTING ON BU IS A RISK.
    YOU RISK BEING DERIDED IN A WAY YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE
    AND BY A SET OF NOBODIES TOO

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