“While we welcome the advantages that a company like Sysco Bahamas Food Services provides the tourism sector,” Minister Pintard  pointed out, “We also want to  encourage Bahamian investors to form groups and explore these types of possibilities, such as  the development of more organic chicken farms, and pig farming.  We’ve put the Government’s Abattoir and the canning factories in the Family Islands on the market for interested entrepreneurs to joint venture on, with funding assistance from the Government.  Never since the days of Hatchet Bay have there been such exciting opportunities available to those interested in farm entrepreneurship.”

The new thrust in agritourism is being driven by culturally and eco-conscious travellers who are now demanding  that restaurants and hotels incorporate fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables from local farms in prepared dishes.

The deepening of agritourism linkages is already evident in the culinary sector.  Whatsapp chats are being implemented to assist farmers to enable the posting of daily produce available for purchase immediately by hoteliers in both video and photo format inclusive of pricing which the hotelier/restaurateur/consumer can immediately see and negotiate.  In restaurants, the farm-to-table concept has been introduced with tabletop tent cards promoting the farms that the establishment is partnered with and Chefs are encouraged to come out of their kitchens like celebrities and mingle with guests and talk up their partnership with local suppliers.  This has become popular with diners who revel in the stories they share and serves as a talking point and reason to recommend the eatery.

Further, second home-owners, used to a culture of supporting their local farmers at farm stands in their towns and cities, encouraged the supply of fresh produce in the adopted communities where they came to live part of the year and helped to change the Bahamian perspective of thinking everything foreign is better.  Bahamians quickly embraced this change toward healthy living and are patronizing farmer’s markets.  The discernable call-to-action by residents embracing Bahamian culture and our food supply chains has had the desired result of impacting local economies, in positive ways, in the various island communities.

Agritourism has been given its wings.  Both Ministers have put the mechanisms in place to ensure success.  They continue to encourage Bahamians to take advantage of the opportunities they have made available.  The Agritourism Committee stands ready to receive proposals and provide well-informed feedback and direction from technical experts at the top of their field.  The Committee is also charged with fostering the linkage with the hotels and is encouraging more and more farmers to benefit, be it through intermediaries or direct contracts.  Ultimately, this initiative will result in the significant reduction in the nation’s import bill and by extension its GDP.

Contact:  Janet Johnson,  

Tourism Development Corporation, 

Mobile:  427.3757

Email:  janet@tdcbahamas.com