“Agriculture in Barbados is not dead, but it is alive and kicking.”

This is the view of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Elsworth Reid, who was speaking during the opening of the 2015 National Agricultural Conference at the Savannah Hotel, on Monday.

“Agriculture is a natural science and like any other natural science, it can be a lucrative source of employment and entrepreneurship. Nearly every day, I get calls at the Ministry and visits from representatives of youth groups as well as individuals who are expressing interest in partnering with the Ministry in some new agricultural project. The young people involved are very excited about their new found ventures,” he added.

“I am hearing of scientific methods of agriculture that I never knew existed, for example permaculture … I have met with a number of local scientists, young and mature, who are presently carrying out research and developing by-products from a number of plants that we grew up thinking were just weeds and wild bush, not recognising the income generating potential and the scientific value that these plants had,” he said.

Mr. Reid indicated that his Ministry was willing to work with individuals or organisations on any ideas that would assist in moving the agricultural sector in Barbados forward.