The Tribune

• IDB teams with Eeden Farms duo on hydroponic roll-out

• Ten farms to be based in ‘poor, vulnerable communities’

• Solar use to slash carbon emissions by 240,000 tonnes

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A “new food production model” will aid up to 57,000 poverty-stricken Bahamians through the location of ten hydroponic container farms “in poor and vulnerable communities”, it has been revealed.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in documents seen by Tribune Business, discloses that it is partnering with the Bahamian entrepreneurs behind BRON International and Eeden Farms, Lincoln Deal and Carlos Palacious, on an $800,000 initiative that is designed to combat “food insecurity” driven by rising prices and import dependency.

Mr Palacious declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper, referring it to the IDB on the grounds that the project has yet to be approved. However, the papers obtained reveal that one of the project’s goals is that 50 percent (five) of the ten hydroponic container farms will be “women-led”.

Messrs Deal and Palacious have been pioneering this form of farming in The Bahamas, which is seen as a critical counter to extreme weather and climate-related events plus the “high pH” or alkaline levels in the country’s soil which makes land unsuitable for commercial farming.

“The main objective of the project is to build the capacity of small farmers, particularly women, in vulnerability conditions in The Bahamas to migrate to a new food production model which is based on increasing energy conservation and strengthening the provision of food for at-risk communities,” the IDB paper said.

“The project will produce a series of world-class, robotics-enabled, climate resilient and solar powered hydroponic container farms (stationed in poor and vulnerable communities) that will produce fresh fruits, vegetables and organic leafy greens.

“This technology has been tried, tested, and proven under the umbrella of Eeden Farms, and has produced thousands of pounds of fresh leafy greens which are currently being sold to the wider population. Eeden Farms currently has several key formal agreements with major hotels and restaurants in The Bahamas where they supply organic greens.”

The use of solar energy to power the hydroponic container farms was billed as further reducing The Bahamas’ carbon footprint, while also building resilience and adaptability to climate change. “The locally produced organic produce will help improve food security in the country by making quality fresh produce available year-round even in the occurrence of hurricanes, pandemics or global supply chain disruptions,” the IDB report added.

“The strategic positioning of the farms (in poor and vulnerable communities) will act as a direct economic stimulant for those communities, providing lower prices for food produced [and] creating equal purchasing power and access to affordable and nutritious food, sold directly to consumers.

“While robotic enabled, the farms require human capital which will result in creating much-needed job opportunities, particularly for women from low income backgrounds and underserved communities. These women will be empowered to become the food producers The Bahamas needs to secure a healthy, nutritious and affordable diet to its more vulnerable communities.”

The report added that “as the produce is grown locally, it will be sold below current imported food market prices, making it more affordable to poor and vulnerable communities”. It identified the main beneficiaries from the IDB’s partnership with BRON/Eeden Farms as being “poor and food insecure populations” within The Bahamas.

“The main beneficiaries of the project are ten farms, of which at least 50 percent are women-led,” the IDB said. “Specific outreach will also be made to more disadvantaged groups in vulnerable communities. Most recent data from the United Nations Development Programme in 2017 suggests that 15 percent, or 56,500 persons, live below the poverty line in poor and vulnerable communities.

“The Bahamas’ poverty rate is mainly attributed to the country’s high level of unemployment. Currently, a shocking 14 percent of its citizens are unemployed due to the shock that the tourist sector had after COVID. Women were particularly affected by the lack of employment.” The report also highlights the stark income inequalities still prevalent in Bahamian society, and which have likely been made worse by the pandemic’s impact.

Pointing out that poverty is directly tied to food insecurity and diet/nutritional quality, the IDB paper added: “Food products in The Bahamas come with a noticeable price tag. This is because the island imports nearly 90 percent of these items. Expensive food prices not only affect the economy and any employment opportunities arising from local agriculture, but also alienate those who cannot afford these food prices.

“As a result, food insecurity in The Bahamas is a significant issue that requires addressing. According to Hands for Hunger, one in every 10 people in The Bahamas experience extreme food insecurity and have less than $4 to spend on food a day. This prevalence is significant because only 10 percent of the food consumed is produced in The Bahamas.

“A study by The Caribbean Agro-Economic Society concluded 41 percent of households were food insecure, and factors such as age, education and gender all played a factor. Around 20 percent of households required assistance from the Government to provide adequate food to their families. It also concluded that people take an active role in producing at least one aspect of their food, revealing a reported 45 percent caught their own fish.”

Vulnerable, low income Bahamians are “largely at the mercy” of imported food prices, with the International Trade Association reporting in 2019 that 90 percent of this nation’s food needs - collectively worth some $632m - were imported. Inflation will have driven that number much higher following the COVID pandemic.

“As a result, the increase in fuel, manufacturing/energy costs and associated import costs are traditionally passed on to the consumer, affecting the purchasing power and access to affordable food, particularly for those in poor and vulnerable communities, including women, children, and migrants, particularly those from Haiti,” the IDB report said.

“It also often puts Bahamians in a position where they may not have consistent access to quality food and food products..... There is a need to change the food production system in The Bahamas by utilising innovative technologies to help spur productivity, efficiency and climate resilience.”

Revealing that the project will create a data platform to link agriculture producers to retailers, the IDB added: “At the outcome level, the project targets 15 farms to be trained and ten farms that will migrate to the new production model promoted by the project; 240,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions reduced using solar panels provided for the project, 20 retailers in vulnerable communities that will access locally produced foods through the Agritech Digital Data Platform.”