The island’s crop production output has been on a 50-year decline and it has caused an over-reliance on imports.
Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer Leslie Brereton made this revelation yesterday during a medicinal plants workshop at the Ministry of Agriculture, Graeme Hall, Christ Church.
He said the drop in root crops such as yams and sweet potatoes was the result of the decline in sugar production which led to increased fruit and vegetable imports.
“We have seen a situation in Barbados where we rely on imports of 90 per cent on fruits, 50 per cent of imports of our pork and we rely heavily on 50 per cent of imported vegetables,” Brereton said.
“So this idea of homeowners wanting to get into medicinal plants could also transfer this knowledge . . . and produce leafy vegetables, carrots, sweet pepper, the whole lot, to assist in reducing your own food bill.”
The island’s food import bill is in excess of $500 million.
Brereton described the local livestock industry as “stable”, adding that poultry and poultry meats have been sustaining that sector as Barbados produces 90 per cent of its poultry and its by-products.
The production of tabletop eggs was the only area of concern forcing some of the main producers to import eggs last year to meet the increased need for the Christmas holidays and start of the winter tourist season.
Brereton said there needed to be a greater analysis of the notion of food security given the nature of climate change, natural disasters and the negative effect of heavy importation.
The workshop was organised by the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) and was entitled Better Life Gardening.
BARP president Edward Bushell said this was an initiative to encourage retired people to get into backyard gardening, age actively and, where possible, form an extra income business, given the economic challenges. (SB)
