NASSAU, The Bahamas, (IICA) – The minister of agriculture and marine resources of The Bahamas, Jomo Campbell, and the representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in The Bahamas, Mari Dunleavy, and her team, received agricultural inputs for distribution in the district of Exuma to support farmers affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The storm struck the Caribbean in October, causing dozens of deaths and widespread damage across the region. The Bahamas was one of the affected countries.
IICA’s collaboration made it possible to obtain essential supplies for farmers on Long Island, one of the islands that make up the country.
Minister Campbell expressed his appreciation for IICA’s continued collaboration and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to fostering resilience and promoting future cooperation projects aimed at strengthening agriculture in The Bahamas.
“Through its ministry of agriculture and marine resources, The Bahamas has been promoting a series of strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening local food security, reducing dependence on imports, and fostering more sustainable and resilient agricultural and fisheries production, and IICA is committed to supporting these initiatives”, Dunleavy said.
Under minister Campbell’s leadership, these policies are designed not only to increase local food production, but also to generate employment, support farmers and fisherfolk, and guarantee the population more stable access to fresh produce.
Key initiatives include sustainable agriculture and hydroponics projects implemented on several islands in the archipelago, as well as programs that provide direct support to producers in the form of inputs, livestock and technical assistance. Headway is also being made with the efforts to reconnect local producers with distributors, thereby strengthening national value chains.
The ministry has also emphasised training and development for the new generations, with educational programs and agreements with institutes specialising in agriculture and marine sciences. These initiatives aim to attract young people to the productive sector and ensure long-term sustainability.
In the area of health, the Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority has been strengthened by incorporating mobile laboratories and improved phytosanitary control capabilities. Actions of this kind help protect crops, improve quality standards and facilitate access for local products to overseas markets.
