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Errol Barrow’s Visionary Approach to Agriculture: How Aquaponics Can Help Barbados Today

Submitted by Damian Hinkson Errol Barrow, the first Prime Minister of Barbados, was a visionary leader who understood the importance of adapting the country’s economy to the changing times. His forward-thinking approach to agriculture serves as an inspiration for today’s leaders, especially when it comes to addressing the challenges of food security and dependence on…

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Submitted by Damian Hinkson
The Right Excellent Errol Barrow

Errol Barrow, the first Prime Minister of Barbados, was a visionary leader who understood the importance of adapting the country’s economy to the changing times. His forward-thinking approach to agriculture serves as an inspiration for today’s leaders, especially when it comes to addressing the challenges of food security and dependence on imported food in small island developing states (SIDS) like Barbados.

Barrow’s leadership in the 1960s was marked by policies that aimed to boost the agricultural sector, such as encouraging land reform and providing support to small farmers. He also recognized the need to diversify the agricultural sector and encouraged farmers to grow a variety of crops, such as sugarcane, cotton, and fruits and vegetables. This helped to increase the resilience of the agricultural sector and made it less vulnerable to market fluctuations.

Today, Barbados is once again facing the challenges of food security and dependence on imported food. But, there is a solution that could help address these challenges and promote economic development – Aquaponics. Aquaponics is a method of food production that relies on rain fall,  combining fish farming with growing plants in water in a closed-loop system. It is particularly relevant for SIDS like Barbados as it can help increase food security and reduce dependence on imported food, while also being a way of protecting the environment by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and reducing water consumption.

Aquaponics can be a powerful tool for the development of Barbados. It can create jobs and income, help reduce poverty and improve living standards. And it’s a sustainable way of producing food that fits perfectly with Barbados’ natural resources, transport infrastructure and abundance of sunlight.

In conclusion, Errol Barrow’s legacy of leadership and vision serves as an inspiration for today’s leaders. His approach to agriculture in Barbados highlights the importance.

#errolbarrow #sustainability #foodsecurity #damianhinkson #bairdsvillagefarms

27 responses to “Errol Barrow’s Visionary Approach to Agriculture: How Aquaponics Can Help Barbados Today”

  1. John Avatar
    John

    You got to be joking and worth a laugh!!

    You don’t remember the “No Cane Blade” speech.

    Erroll Barrow destroyed the very agriculture which was for the first time in boom mode at his time after WWII.

    Check the sugar output during his tenure.

    Today we are below the sugar output at the time of slavery.

    Sugar Cane needs to be looked at again. It is a crop that controls weeds, retains moisture in the ground and produces an output that is saleable internationally.

    … and the world sugar prices are rising.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2023/01/12/btcolumn-the-future-of-sugar-cane-in-barbados/

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Aren’t we tired hearing this tired sound from successive MOA’s?

    Stiffer penalties in new crop theft act
    Weir: It will be proclaimed next month
    Legislation to deal with praedial larceny is expected to be proclaimed by next month.
    And while there will be stiffer penalties to deal with crop theft, Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir has cautioned individuals not to paint a narrative that sugar cane sold at roundabouts, was stolen.
    Weir said the Protection of Agricultural Products Act had been passed in the House of Assembly and the Senate sometime in September last year, and was set to be proclaimed next month.
    Under the new legislation, any person found guilty of an offence under the Act is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $100 000, imprisonment for five years, or both. Further, any person in possession of commercial quantities of agricultural products and fails to produce to a police officer, within 24 hours of the request, a delivery note or proof of ownership, on summary conviction, can be charged up to $100 000, imprisonment for five years, or both.
    Bring proof
    Addressing the sale of sugar cane at the J.T.C. Ramsay Circle in Haggatt Hall, St Michael, the
    minister cautioned: “I don’t know that anyone can bring any proof to show that these guys have stolen any sugar cane. I know that there are several vendors who grow sugar cane either in their backyard or somewhere close to their backyard in tenantries, so it is a conversation that one must be careful with.”
    However, Weir said if sugarcane was stolen, culprits would feel the full weight of the law.
    However, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society James Paul told Starcom Network last Thursday that while some farmers were under reporting theft of their crops, the sector needed measures now to deal with the issue.
    Small amounts
    “The theft is sometimes small amounts and sometimes the farms do not bother, but over a period it frustrates the farmer in terms of recognising he cannot get the full benefit of his labour when people actually [go and] harvest [their produce] . . . . It is still a problem and certainly I think what will help is that when people recognise what is happening, that they report it on a timely basis,” he said.
    Last March, farmer and owner at Friendship Plantation, Patrick Bethell caught two men red-handed stealing his sugarcane crop.
    When contacted recently, Bethell said he had not seen any of his crop stolen in recent times, nor had he seen the new legislation, and did not know if it had been gazetted.
    Meanwhile, owner of Ashbury Plantation, Michael Gill said he was not up to date with the new legislation. (RA)

    Source: Nation

  3. Nathan J Green Avatar
    Nathan J Green

    The first aquaponics farming project in the Caribbean was in Barbados and by a Bajan. He was growing lettuce for the hotel trade. Barbados has had this technology for more than 20 years, Unfortunately I have forgotten his name, I met him at a friend’s house in SVG..

  4. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    OFF MESSAGE:
    My last links for the day.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qaPuUyDXTE

    https://tfiglobalnews.com/2023/01/22/saudi-arabia-expands-its-caribbean-foothold-with-an-80m-gift/

  5. David Avatar
    David

    We have had the solar technology for longer than many others as well.

  6. John Avatar
    John

    Stiffer penalties in new crop theft act
    Weir: It will be proclaimed next month
    Legislation to deal with praedial larceny is expected to be proclaimed by next month.
    And while there will be stiffer penalties to deal with crop theft, Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir has cautioned individuals not to paint a narrative that sugar cane sold at roundabouts, was stolen.

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

    Last year I saw a Rasta wheeling a supermarket cart full of recently cut cane along the ABC highway towards the roundabout leading to Hothersall by Friendship Plantation.

    I connected the dots!!

    Incidentally, Friendship is a sure sign it got its name from Quaker ownership long ago.

  7. John Avatar
    John

    Clearly no supermarket sells recently cut cane so my surmise after connecting the dots is that the supermarket cart may have been purloined.

  8. John Avatar
    John

    Why is it necessary to pass an act dealing with theft when I am sure there must be a general act dealing with theft generally?

    Will supermarket carts be included in the new act?

  9. Damian Hinkson Avatar
    Damian Hinkson

    This is a good question. I guess before harvesting and packaging the farmers efforts are not recognised.

  10. Damian Hinkson Avatar
    Damian Hinkson

    I may or may not be the first but i am the best for sure.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @Damian

    Have you been able to have discussions with Minister Weir about how you may be able to add value to his vision’ for agriculture?

  12. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    Last year I saw a Rasta wheeling a supermarket cart full of recently cut cane along the ABC highway towards the roundabout leading to Hothersall by Friendship Plantation.

    I connected the dots!!

    Incidentally, Friendship is a sure sign it got its name from Quaker ownership long ago.

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    I AM SURE THE BLACK ENLIGHTENED RASTA CALLED IT REPARATIONS.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    Why do some of you so easily follow others down a rabbit hole? All kinds of individuals are k own to steel supermarket carts, mainly poor Black people selling vegetables and car washers. If nothing substantive to contribute move along.

    On another point – what is the context Barrow made the ‘no cane blade statement’?

    How can we improve food security, how can we integrate aquaponics.

  14. John Avatar
    John

    Go to St. Lucy and parts of St. Peter and you will be amazed to see the amount and quality of sugar cane growing.

    That is Mount Gay and Nicholas Abbey looking to secure their local supply of molasses so they can produce rum to earn foreign exchange.

    Early days yet but you can appreciate the scale of the effort.

    Aquaponics have been around forever.

    There are some farmers who have invested in containers all controlled electronically for the optimum growing environment.

    Back in 2018 I went to a Ministry of Agriculture presentation at Combermere a week night where the same minister spoke of the need to encourage the youth to take part in agriculture.

    I would say that 90% of those present were in their 50’s, 60’s or above. His feeling was that younger people could be attracted by the technology associated with aquaponic containers which can be controlled by cell phone.

    I passed Fairy Valley and saw what looks like lettuce growing in a field setting. Could be mistaken.

    The point is if farmers make a success in the field setting of growing say lettuce, how will those with fortunes tied up in the container technology even compete?

    We need to get as much arable land that remains under cane. Cane allows intercropping, controls weeds and keeps moisture in the land.

    More molasses means more rum to earn foreign exchange.

  15. John Avatar
    John

    This type of technology has been in Barbados for a while.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    The issue is not the technology not being present, it is the sloth with which it has integrated with existing technologies to benefit the economy. We observe this in many cases.

  17. John Avatar
    John

    When the minister talks about aquaponics, that is what is on his mind. He was shown examples by farmers who have done it. I need to check out if it has been cost effective because for sure the technology has been used in Barbados for long enough to determine the costs and benefits.

    I know, I heard him in 2018 describe his vision.

    https://aquaculturemag.com/2020/07/30/barbados-future-of-farming-highlights-aquaponics/

    That article is from 2020. What we need is to know how the farm has performed over the past couple of years and if it is paying.

    I still think the best solution in agriculture is to get every arable acre back in canes.

    The harvesting is mechanised, the planting is mechanised, the fertilisation is mechanised and much of the weeding can be done with weeders drawn by tractors.

    Once the canes are first harvested, weeding is not a problem as with vegetables because the trash acts like a mulch.

    Yams and potatoes, corn and other crops can be intercropped.

    We have all the technology we need and it is applied year in year out albeit on a small scale now.

    It makes absolutely no sense building matchbox houses on good agricultural land.

    Go up in St. Thomas by Lion Castle/Dukes and watch what he Chinese are doing. The first thing they are doing is removing all the topsoil and exposing the coral to build buildings, possibly for aquaponics which by now we should know if such a project will pay.

  18. John Avatar
    John

    Here is a project in which the author seems to have been involved back in 2010.

    The author should not be regaling us with the nonsense of Erroll Barrows visions for agriculture …. we all have seen the results.

    What the author should be doing is telling us how much of a success, or failure the genesis project from 2010 is.

    https://www.thegef.org/newsroom/news/aquaponics-genesis-industry-barbados

  19. David Avatar
    David

    We are discussing initiatives to drive food security.

  20. John Avatar
    John

    Looks like the UNDP funded this genesis project in 2010 given the contacts associated with it.

    Damian Hinkson, anancihydro@hotmail.com – Tel: (246) 433-6137
    Giles Romulus, giles.romulus@undp.org Tel: (246) 467-6011
    Tracy Phillips, tracy.phillips@undp.org Tel: (246) 467-6012

  21. John Avatar
    John

    Looks like the FAO funded the Hopewell farm in 2020.

    https://thecaribbeannewsnow.com/fao-funded-aquaponics-project-launched-in-barbados/

    We are left to assume that the 2010 funded exercised by the UNDP was not a success otherwise the GOB would not have sought more funding from another like organisation.

    The author should be addressing these issues and not wasting his time making a mopstick out of Erroll Barrow.

    Makes suspicious minds suspect some sort of coverup.

  22. David Avatar
    David

    In a related matter – what happened to the Regal Farm project floated as far back as 2013?

    https://barbadosunderground.net/2013/08/07/regal-farms-to-establish-a-fish-farm-in-barbados/

  23. Dame Bajans Avatar
    Dame Bajans

    I thought Sir Grantly Adams was the first Premier of Barbados.

  24. John Avatar
    John

    “Barrow’s leadership in the 1960s was marked by policies that aimed to boost the agricultural sector, such as encouraging land reform and providing support to small farmers. He also recognized the need to diversify the agricultural sector and encouraged farmers to grow a variety of crops, such as sugarcane, cotton, and fruits and vegetables. This helped to increase the resilience of the agricultural sector and made it less vulnerable to market fluctuations.”

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

    Total utter crap!!

  25. Sheron Inniss Avatar
    Sheron Inniss

    I actually knew a gentleman who grew his own canes to make the juice when we lived at Doughlin’s Gap, Weston, St James, as a child. So it doesn’t mean that others today can’t do it. My neighbour down the road used to grow his own but he stopped because the monkeys laughed at him.

  26. John Avatar
    John

    Still doesn’t explain the supermarket cart!!

  27. Dubmarine Avatar
    Dubmarine

    In 1969, the Flevopolder in the Netherlands was finished, as part of the Zuiderzee Works. It has a total land surface of 970 km2, which is worth more than 2 Barbados (aka little island), which makes it by far the largest artificial island by land reclamation in the world.

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