Government is placing emphasis on the role of technology in shaping the future of the agriculture sector.
Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Nutritional Security, Indar Weir, stated this recently as he addressed the handing over of agricultural technology from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), in a ceremony at the Home Agriculture Station, Kirtons, St. Philip.
Mr. Weir noted that the event served as a platform to underscore the direction in which agriculture is heading in Barbados. “The future of agriculture in Barbados cannot be and will not be open field agriculture using traditional modalities. Instead, the Ministry of Agriculture is making a decisive shift towards technology-driven agriculture,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of incorporating technology, the Agricultural Minister noted the importance of adopting robotics in agriculture. He said that with the introduction of drones and farm bots, Barbados was embracing modern tools to revolutionise agricultural practices.
Mr. Weir announced that a state-of-the-art tissue culture lab was in the works and the creation of the Barbados Innovation Centre for Agriculture would be coming soon.
Adding that this was aimed at transforming agricultural processes, he stated: “This innovative lab will provide Barbados with the capacity to cultivate clean planting materials for crops and mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture.”
He also stressed that the lab would play a pivotal role in shaping the future of agriculture on the island.
IICA representative Damien Hinds handed over the technology, which included:
- Farmbot – Robotic Farming System
- 2 DJI Phantom 4 Pro Drones
- 5 Oculus Quest Virtual Reality Headsets
- 4 Laptops
- 1 Tablet
- 1 Samsung Cell Phone
- 1 Mindstorm Lego Set
- 1 Projector & Projector Screen (70″x70″) with a tripod;
- 1 Samsung 4K 75″ Smart TV;
- 1 Green Machine (aquaponics system)
IICA also provided an internet upgrade for the Conference/Training room in the centre and trained and certified Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Company’s staff as UAV (drone) pilots.
As the Minister unveiled plans for innovation centres in Barbados, he said he drew inspiration from a similar facility in Costa Rica, noting that the message was clear: “Barbados is determined to lead the way in the region”.
Mr. Weir also expressed gratitude to staff from the Ministry, and key individuals, including IICA Director General Emeritus, Dr. Chelston Brathwaite; Chief Agricultural Officer, Keeley Holder; Senior Agricultural Officer, Michael James; and IICA representative Alastair Glean.