NASSAU, The Bahamas – Four drones have been donated to expand capacity in the nation’s agriculture sector. The drones — a donation by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will provide cutting-edge assistance to the sector. The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Ministry on Tuesday, 26th March. In attendance was the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Hon. Jomo Campbell.
He said that drones will respond to the importance of incorporating technology to the sector. “With the pace of technological advances today, The Bahamas cannot afford to be left behind. We must be able to marry the old with the new to meet the many challenges that we face. We believe that these four drones will answer some of the big questions and solve some of the challenges we face in growing our own food.”
He also said that it is his understanding that a potential farmer could use the drones to search for new land to develop, and determine what the land would require prior to excavation. The drones, he added, can assist in setting the priorities for research and maximize use of the land.
With drone technology, the Ministry of Agriculture can leverage aerial surveillance and data collection and would be better equipped to monitor crop health, identify areas for cultivation, and optimize agricultural practices for increased productivity and sustainability.
Training will be provided by Dr. Kimberley Baldwin, Director of Marine Spatial Information Solutions, a company based in Barbados. She said that the training will be held over a three-month period and will be launched next week. Thus far, the programme has been implemented in five Caribbean countries. A maximum of eight pilots and 10 data analysts will undergo the training.
The training will include the creation of 3-D maps of the environment and gathering data on land topography, which farmers, fishers and others in the agriculture sector can utilize.
