Agrofest will be “going green” next year.

According to organisers of Barbados’ premier agricultural exhibition, the upcoming expo, to be held under this theme, will have as its primary focus the education of the Barbadian public on environmental issues facing us as a nation, as well as the measures needed to be implemented to address them.

“Obviously the environment and agriculture go hand in hand, so in order to have sustainable agricultural practices you must be mindful of the environment,” surmised Agrofest Coordinator, Theodore Fraser.

“Agrofest, through its large, diverse and captive audience, will be an excellent platform for reaching every Barbadian household, as well as a unique forum for highlighting new ‘Green ideas’ to persons from every strata of society,” he added.

With several educational  seminars being  planned for the February 27 to  March 1  extravaganza,  Mr. Fraser underlined that the idea is to  highlight, in real terms, how the issues of food security and sustainability affect us and point to solutions of how they  could be successfully addressed through the use of  ‘green  technologies’.

“It will actively demonstrate how agricultural activities can enhance environmental health and societal well-being through more careful management of land, which is our most critical resource,” he said.

In keeping with the current thrust, Mr. Fraser said full attention would once more be paid to the youth, who represent the future of this vital sector.

“Agrofest 2009 will again seek to involve the primary, secondary and tertiary schools in programmes which will reflect the theme of the exhibition, in an effort to ensure that the youth are fully engaged in the process. We will also seek to build on the previous level of participation in the kitchen garden competition, while developing a consciousness of environmental issues at the school level,” he explained.

Building on the efforts of Agrofest 2008, this year’s show is expected to highlight aspects of farming that enhance the environment, as well as modern technologies which allow us to derive significant benefits as a nation state. (CG)

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