Agriculture Services
The Farmers’ Empowerment
And Enfranchisement Drive
The Farmers’ Empowerment and Enfranchisement Drive (FEED) is a programme aimed at reducing agricultural imports into the island which will ensure national food and nutrition security. This initiative will be executed over a three year period officially commencing in April 2019 and expected to accommodate persons with a desire to establish agricultural enterprises in a variety of farming systems. The Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC) will be responsible for the planning, implementation and management of FEED.
Apply for FEED Programme
Objectives
- To increase the agricultural sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.
- To ensure long-term national food and nutrition security through improved access to safe and nutritious foods.
- To facilitate the sustainable development of the agricultural sector through improved access to land and inputs for agricultural production and development.
- To increase employment, particularly among vulnerable groups including women and the youth.
- To increase investment in the agricultural sector through the provision of infrastructure and support services.
- To increase net foreign exchange earnings through increased agricultural exports
General Overview
Farmers coming onto the programme will establish their enterprise on leased lands ranging from one quarter of an acre to five acres. Land allocations will depend on the type of farming activity of the farmer. These lands will be leased at a rate of BDS $300 per acre annually. Irrigation water will also be provided at a subsidized rate in most cases. FEED will seek to establish farmers interested in:
- Open field crop production
- Horticulture
- Green House farming
- Temperature controlled container farming
- Livestock production with a special emphasis on Blackbelly Sheep Production
- Fruit tree production/Agroforestry
- Forage/Fodder production
- Hydroponics
- Aquaponics
- Fish farming
- Apiculture (Bee keeping)
Training
The training of applicants will be an important component of this programme. A three month training course subdivided into modules will be carried out in order to provide formal instruction and mentorship to persons with no previous background in agriculture. The BADMC’s Headquarters at Fairy Valley Christ Church, along with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) Headquarters at Graeme Hall will function as the two centres for this training element. Training topics will include:
- Animal husbandry
- Business planning
- Customer Service
- Equipment use and maintenance
- Farm management
- Food safety, grading and packing
- Livestock production
- Greenhouse management
- Horticulture
- Post-harvest management
- Pest and disease management
- Record keeping
- Sales and Marketing
- Land preparation
- Nutrients and fertilizer management
- Pesticides use and management
- Soil management
- Technology in agriculture
- Financial management
- Risk management
Additionals
Other services, materials and infrastructure will be offered at subsidized rates as well, or free of charge, in order to assist them with the initial start-up of their enterprise. Some of these initial services include
- Land preparation
- Irrigation infrastructure (such as driplines)
- Seeds (crop production, hydroponics, aquaponics)
- Personal protective equipment (boots, gloves, etc)
- Water pump and filter (hydroponics, aquaponics)
- Bee hive boxes
