Entrepreneurial activities: Agriculture and agriculture-related activities, including, farming with acreage ranging from 0.1 acre to 23 acres and producing crops, such as, carrots, beets, onions, tomatoes, beans, chive, cauliflower, cabbage, hot pepper, eggplant, parsley, squash, pumpkin, ochro, beans, pigeon peas, sorrel, lettuce, cucumber, dasheen, cassava, melon, and papaya. There is one poultry farmer/processor and several of the members produce preserved products (such as jams, jellies, fruit cheeses, dried fruit, wines and liqueurs, pickles, sauces, and baked items) for both home consumption and commercial sale.

Other Affiliations: The group is registered as a member of the umbrella, Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS).

Network Activities:

The programme of work for AWIA will focus on institutional strengthening of AWIA. Some of the activities to be implemented in Barbados will include:

• The establishment of a schedule of availability of produce from the membership of AWIA;

• Convening of an industry partnership meeting between members of AWIA and buyers of agricultural produce, including wholesalers and distributors, supermarkets, hotels and restaurants;

• Development of links with commercial companies which provide inputs to members of AWIA, with a view to obtaining financial support and/or concessions for purchase of inputs. These companies include suppliers of tractors and farm equipment, fertilizers and agricultural chemicals, seeds and seedling materials, agro-processing equipment and machinery;

• The establishment of a central marketing area or Farmers’ Market (either in a fixed location or in specified locations across the island) where farmers and members of AWIA can sell their produce to all buyers;

• The establishment of a packing house cum agro-processing unit which will utilise the members’ produce and provide fresh packaged, semi-processed and/or finished products for downstream processing, and for use in the hotel and foodservice industries;

• Training of AWIA members, particularly the Executive Committee, in the management of the group, conduct of meetings, documentation of minutes and PR functions.

Profile of Rural Women Producers in Barbados

Women food producers in Barbados operate approximately 39% of the total number of agricultural holdings. Despite this, the acreage occupied by these holdings comprises a mere 6% of the total area under agricultural production. Women are also responsible for the marketing and distribution of a significant volume of the fresh produce produced and consumed in Barbados. However, marketing systems and marketing infrastructure are in need of improvement.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of female farmers are 45 years and older. This statistic has serious implications for the future involvement of women in farming. The economy of the island is now oriented towards the tourist industry and manufacturing industries. The high demand for female labour in these industries, coupled with the attraction of expanded educational opportunities, security, prestige, mobility and higher salaries offered by these two sectors, make it highly unlikely that younger women will opt to enter the agricultural sector.

Over 25% of farmers do not own the land on which they farm. There is also the pressure on agricultural land to be converted into real estate for tourism development and housing. The major constraint stems from the inadequate collateral to secure loans and the risk-averse nature of the small farmer.

At present, there is no organised or systematic approach to the provision of technical assistance to small farmers. Technical assistance is needed to deal with a myriad of problems including:

• Non-integrated production, processing and marketing systems;
• Low productivity;
• Inconsistency in the quality of produce;
• Soil erosion;
• Indiscriminate use of pesticides;
• Pests and diseases;
• Inadequate water resources;
• Inadequate quantities of high quality seed and propagating materials;
• Lack of timely land preparation;
• Outdated fertilizer recommendations;
• High cost of production and marketing;
• High degree of post-harvest losses.

The group has identified several issues that need to be addressed in order for the members to operate more effectively as suppliers of both fresh and processed produce. These include marketing, access to cheaper inputs (including irrigation water), advocacy on issues of market prices and competition from imports, and training in better farming practices and in agro-processing techniques.