The bond that can exist between agriculture and tourism will be the highlight of Agrofest 2015, when it comes off in Queen???s Park, from Friday, February 27, to Sunday, March 1, under the theme: Inclusive Agriculture: Strengthening Linkages, Creating Synergies.
Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, who expects 60,000 patrons to attend the annual agricultural exhibition next year, said efforts were under way to meet the requirements set out in the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with hotels and restaurants.
Speaking during the official launch of Agrofest 2015 at Divi Southwinds Beach Resort last Thursday, Mr. Paul said as a result, consideration was being given to the establishment of a post-harvest facility at the BAS.
???That would help us to be able to make the policy requirements that the hotels require. Some hotels want us to deliver the produce in a particular way. So, we will use our facility to collect the produce from the farmers and put it in a manner that is acceptable to the hotels,??? Mr. Paul stated.
However, he pointed out that there were already some hotels on board, and discussions were ongoing with the Caribbean Tourism Association, the Caribbean Farmers??? Network and Sandals, to deepen relationships.
Meanwhile, he pointed out that next year???s festival was expected to see approximately 300 exhibitors; cooking demonstrations; the return of the Junior Duelling Challenge; a plantation breakfast; the Agility Dog Show; the Rabbit Exhibition; the Petting Zoo; the Exotic Bird Show; the Farmers??? Market; entertainment; and the return of old competitions and the introduction of new ones.
Some of the popular competitions returning to the annual festival will be the Homeowners??? Kitchen Garden and the Schools??? Kitchen Garden; the Fruit and Vegetable, and Livestock.
New competitions coming to the exhibition include the Agriculture Enthusiast; Fruit Eating; How Well Do You Know Our Sponsors Facebook competition, and a Schools??? Hydroponics competition.
julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb