Bamsi: Growing in the Right Direction

Sheep and goat at BAMSI’s campus

BAMSI

Growing in the Right Direction

By Kendea Smith Photographs Courtesy Of MOAMRFIA Bahamas

Habenero Peppers being grown at BAMSI’s North Andros campus

The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) is growing in the right direction as it continues to add more offerings to potential students and farmers. The institute, which is based in North Andros, is looking to expand its offering to students when it reopens in early 2023.

BAMSI, which opened its doors in 2014, sits on over 800 acres and is an epicentre for agricultural and marine science research, development and training.

Recently, it was announced that BAMSI is expanding its layer and broiler programme as the government of The Bahamas continues to place a special emphasis on chicken production.

“The layer programme is a part of the initiative that Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting is pushing, and we are trying to do our part with that in terms of training and seeing what type of birds would be the best for our climate; which would be the best for production and long life. These are the studies that we will be collecting,” said BAMSI Chairman Tyrel Young.

“We are looking to assist farmers and to get our poultry production up by 2025, if not by 100 percent, very close to that figure. We can assist the farmers not only with technology but actual statistical data. This will help farmers to run their farms in a more productive way.” Young said.

The institute is constructing a new layer house and has already purchased 5,000 chicks to begin its layer programme.

The layer house is expected to be outfitted with state-of-the-art updated technology.

BAMSI has also reportedly invested $7 million in creating greenhouse parks on Andros, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Exuma and Long Island.

“Those are now being mobilized to the different Family Islands to be set up. It is allotted land that will be scoped out and we will have multiple greenhouses on that park and, as we continue to order, we will be continuing to populate the greenhouse parks with greenhouses. Other islands will come on stream one at Goats are herded at BAMSI’s campus

a time. Other islands like Abaco, Grand Bahama and southern islands like Acklins and Mayaguana,” Young said.

“We want farmers to have an opportunity to get into the business and this is our way of sparking entrepreneurship. We want farmers to supply their own island. We want to assist with bringing down the food import bill and so the more of these greenhouses we get to be operational, the more local production we have and the less imports we will have.”

Meanwhile, President of BAMSI Dr. Erecia Hepburn has been seeking to create linkages for BAMSI students to study abroad.

“We are starting to see more students interested in recruitment. We are working on a memorandum of understanding with Florida A&M University, Duke University and Delaware.

Land is being cleared for a coconut tree grove at BAMSI’s North Andros campus The aquaponic centre at BAMSI is being developed for fish farming.

There are several universities that are interested and so we want to firm up our international linkages. We’ve also had meetings with persons from Ghana because we want our students to have experiences globally,” Hepburn said.

Hepburn said BAMSI is also looking to enhance the experience at the North Andros campus.

“We are looking at starting more short courses, so persons can get a snapshot of what they want to learn. Soon, we want to become a four-year organization. We are taking steps towards that because we want everyone to know that it is best at BAMSI,” Hepburn said.

Farm manager Eric Lightbourne said BAMSI is focusing on rejuvenating the pastures for animals.

“That’s already done and it’s just a matter of finding a way to irrigate them during the winter months. We are hoping to get a steady revenue stream coming out of BAMSI and we are hoping to get beehives started to train our staff and getting more people into the honey business. So, we are looking at putting BAMSI up to an international standard’s institute and meeting the needs of the farmers and the overall community,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting said he is pleased with the progress at BAMSI.

“We have a lot more things to do and a lot more to accomplish,” he said.

“We also have a piggery and other agriculture that is starting to blossom at BAMSI. And so, I am glad the vision of the former prime minister and the current prime minister for food security is coming to fruition and I can’t wait for what’s to come,” he said. UA