North Andros, Bahamas – Three hundred and sixty fruit trees were distributed to farmers in North Andros last weekend as Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) press its food security policy.
These are part of 1,500 fruit trees of varieties not common in The Bahamas BAIC is distributing throughout the islands.
BAIC has already started distribution of 5,000 Sweet Cayenne pineapple slips.
BAIC’s assistant general manager for agriculture, Arnold Dorsett, explained the aim of the exercise.
“We want to extend the season so farmers can have mangoes coming right through to December,” he said.
“So we are making available these trees so they can become suitable bud wood available in the farming community so they can access this bud wood to multiply and to have more trees of what they have.”
The trees include varieties of mangoes, avocados, guavas, sugar apple, and sour sop.
“The difficulty is that we cannot get enough of these fruits,” said Mr. Dorsett. “So we are providing a new variety of sour sop and sugar apple, for example, so we can supplement what is there.
“We have 10 varieties of mangoes and eight varieties of avocados to extend the season year round.”
He was part of the BAIC executive team headed by general manager Benjamin Rahming. Also present were assistant general manager for land, Judith Thompson, and the Bahamas representative for the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation in Agricuture (IICA), Dr Marikis Alvarez.
The team paid a courtesy call on North Andros Scotiabank branch manager, Maxine A Bowe to discuss financial assistance to farmers.
CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL MP EDISON MINDLESS KEY IS DOING TO ASSIST FARMERS IN ABACO? HE IS DOING ALL THAT HE CAN FOR OTHER FAMILY ISLANDS AND NOT A DAMN THING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAD VOTED FOR HIM IN THE 2007 GENERAL ELECTION.I SURELY HOPE THAT HE CARRY HIS … TO THE ISLANDS THAT HE HAD HELP TO GET THE MARJORITY OF VOTES SO THAT HE CAN WIN IN THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION.HE IS USING HIS CONSTITUENCY MONIES THAT HE GOT FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSTRUCT A FARMER’S MARKET IN MARSH HARBOUR ABACO.WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SETTLEMENTS THAT HE REPRESENTS? THE MONIES THAT HE IS USING TO CONSTRUCT A FARMER’S MARKET SHOULD HAVE COME FROM THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NOT FROM HIS CONSTITUENCY ALLOWANCE.IS THIS A MATTER OF TRUST OR A MATTER OF SELFISHNESS? THIS MATTER IS VERY SERIOUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY PAPA.THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE/TAX PAYERS IN ABACO SHOULD SPEAK OUT AND CONDEMN THIS MATTER BECAUSE IT IS NOT RIGHT WHAT THE MP IS DOING WITH TAX PAYERS MONIES IN MARSH HARBOUR ABACO.
Hi,
I respond to Fed Up. In terms of development, Abaco, is far ahead of Andros in just about everything. Really, your cup runneth over and you are still complaining.
I applaud Mr Key for doing what he can to make Bahamians realize how important it is to the development of our Bahamas that Andros be ‘awakened’ as it were.
Andros has the potential to not only feed this nation, but virtually wipe out unemployment while providing a decent standard of living for all Bahamians.
As your MP you may want him to look out for only you, but as the executive chairman of BAIC, he belongs to all Bahamians and he is doing a damn good job.
I am proud that your MP is making a big difference in the lives of all Bahamians as we seek to encourage our people to take advantage of the big $500 million industry – feeding this nation.
As I am not a resident of Abaco, I could not attest to the quality of Mr Key’s representation, but, according to the papers, Abaco was first on the list of islands where farmers were receiving assistance from BAIC.
As a matter of fact, some 1,500 acres of prime farm land owned by BAIC in Abaco have been divided into five- and ten-acre plots and leased out at a nominal fee to Bahamians, mainly Abaconians in order to promote food production.
Further, BAIC/Mr Key has made farm equipment available to Abaco farmers at far below the cost farmers would have had to pay otherwise.
Just recently, according to the papers, Abaco farmers were the recipient of a large variety of bud wood fruit trees, the idea being to propagate and share with other farmers.
If you, an Abaconian, want to find out more of what Mr Key has caused to be done for farmers in Abaco, you may ask the presidents of the North and South Abaco farmers associations.
You mentioned “THE MONIES THAT HE IS USING TO CONSTRUCT A FARMER’S MARKET SHOULD HAVE COME FROM THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NOT FROM HIS CONSTITUENCY ALLOWANCE.”
Wow! You guys getting a Farmers Market on top of everything else and, I understand an open-air community centre.
If you were the MP for Abaco, what would you have done if your constituency NEEDED a Farmers Market and the Ministry of Agriculture refused to provide the funds?
Bonnie
Comments are closed.