Nassau, The Bahamas: Contract farming has been used for agricultural production for decades but its popularity appears to have been increasing in recent years. The use of contracts has become attractive to many farmers because the arrangement can offer both an assured market and access to production support. Contract farming is also of interest to buyers, who seek supplies of products for sale further along the value chain or for processing.

 The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, in collaboration with the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety (BAHFSA), Bahamas Agriculture and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) and The Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the newly established Agro-Tourism Council propose to establish the Hotel Contract Farming Initiative (HCFI). This program seeks to link farmers that can grow the crops requested by the Hotel Buyer to the standards and specifications stipulated by the Buyer. Atlantis Resorts is the first resort to partner in this initiative. The Executives at Atlantis have been working diligently with the team at MAMR cultivating this program throughout the pandemic. HCFI is at the producer engagement phase of the implementation schedule.

The program will be mainly based in Andros in the first instance. This program is intended to build capacity in agri-business by facilitating the engagement of contract growers and linking the same with major buyer (or their designate), specifically large resorts, with a view to improving foreign exchange through import substitution, employment generation, and dispersion via new business.

This will be achieved via:

1. Creation of 155 jobs over the next 3 years

2. Establish or expand at least 45 agribusinesses

3. Produce up to 4.48 million pounds of produce in a phased approach resulting in up to $5.724 million in import substitution.

4. Up to approximately 500 acres of production.

40 crops have been shortlisted for the preliminary phase of this initiative, which will be supported by the MAMR and it’s team of local and international expertise.

On Wednesday 24 March 2021, a team travelled to Andros where the program was explained to farmers, both existing and those interested in the Hotel Contract Farming Initiative. Cropping details like the specific varieties being requested by the Hotels, quantities and quality standards were discussed, so that attendees could have the necessary information.

With the multi-agency, collaborative team as facilitators, it is envisioned that this engagement will stimulate crop production in Andros. It is MAMR’s sincere hope that farmers will take advantage of this and other new opportunities to learn how to grow different varieties of crops according to industry standards, thereby increasing their household income and empowering their communities. This proposed model will also help develop an Agri-Eco-Tourism linkage where farmers can engage in experiential tourism, as well as gastronomic tourism as The Bahamas seeks to expand and improve it’s tourism product.

Click here to view the Contract Farming Initiative Flyer