Bahamas News
Dozens of eager farmers turn out for ADO, CCFG backyard farming kit distribution in Abaco
ADO, Church Commercial Farming Group distribute dozens of backyard farming kits, many to those trying to start over after Dorian
By Diane Phillips
#TheBahamas, December 14, 2022 – For Kathryn Cartwright, it was a very long journey to a church not far from the one-bedroom apartment she is renting in Marsh Harbour. It began decades earlier. Cartwright’s family had farmed as long as she could remember. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd took their well-known agricultural landmark, Carrollville, in Treasure Cay. She moved to Leisure Lee, and there, two decades later, Dorian swept away her home,
her smaller farm and everything she had.
On December 8, she showed up at the Friendship Tabernacle Church to collect a small starter kit in a carton, one of nearly a hundred who registered ahead. For Cartwright, the emotion of getting her hands back in the soil was even stronger than it was for most, though she was not deterred by the fact that she had to borrow a little plot of land to plant the seeds she was taking home because there is no yard where she is renting.
Many who filled the hall at the church where Abaco pillar Pastor Silbert Mills presides saw the farming kits as another step in the journey back to life after Dorian. There were those, too, like Etheridge Tinker who remembered when Abaconians were farmers and fishermen at heart. Tinker’s family grew crops where the only thing coming out of the ground now in Baker’s Bay is multimillion-dollar residences owned by celebrities, superstars and athletes like Tom Brady.
“Baker’s Bay was my playground,” he said. “I remember my family, we were growing potatoes, cassavas, peas, onion, mango. My grandfather was a fisherman and we gave food to our neighbours and they gave us food in return. I tell my children we went to the well pump for water and they wanna know what the pump is. If you can’t feed yourself, you in plenty trouble. Every seed I get, I plant.”
The distribution in Abaco was the first in a series of Family Island roll-outs of the initiative that got off the ground in a serious way less than six months ago, a program known as the Church Commercial Farming Group. Its formation incidentally coincided with the timing of the hurricane that devasted Grand Bahama and Abaco in 2019. It was
spearheaded by Assemblies of God of Prophecy Superintendent for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Rev. Pat Paul, a man who believes physical and spiritual health go hand-in-hand, on the pulpit and off, worrying about the rates of diabetes and heart disease in The Bahamas while personally living the example of healthy living.
In the beginning, he said, the farming program was running at “maybe 7.5 miles an hour.” Then in early 2021, along came Philip Smith and the Agricultural Development Organization. Two weeks later, Smith agreed to join forces and not long after, presented a whopping $200,000 donation that came with ambitious goals — we’ll fund you and together we will make farming the hottest new commodity in The Bahamas.”
“Ever since that moment,” said Rev. Paul, “we’ve been flying.”
Requests for kits have been pouring in non-stop – hundreds from Abaco and Grand Bahama, thousands in New Providence. Distribution is measured carefully to allow for each recipient of a kit to be paired with one of a number of field officers who assist, visit on a regular basis, create and document progress and problems, and help find solutions.
The hand-holding, says Abaco Neem farmer Daphne DeGregory, is essential. “It’s all about stickability. You have to be patient. But as a Bahamian farmer, you have a great advantage. You can control what you grow and you have access to some of the best water anywhere.”
There are some things you cannot control, she said, like a wild boar that destroyed a banana patch two nights earlier at the Abaco Neem farm, or the damage wreaked by feral cats and raccoons, but with the weather, you can build rock farms or do container farming with year-round easy access.
“We CAN feed ourselves in this country,” said the woman who, like Kathryn Cartwright, lost so much, including the retail shop and the home above it she and her husband occupied before Dorian, before they moved to the farm. But she also gained an even greater appreciation for all that nature provides and now living totally off the grid, and serving as president of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce, DeGregory applauds the initiative and believes whether you do a little or a lot there is no richer life than farming, no fresher taste than the berries you pick off the tree in the morning for breakfast or the coconut water you drink through a reusable straw seconds after it is pulled from the tree. “Farming is the root of self-sustainability.
“My husband gave up a very lucrative business to farm because he followed his soul. Farming,” she said, “is a prestigious profession.”
Release: ADO Bahamas
Photo Captions:
Header: Farmer and Abaco Chamber of Commerce President Daphne DeGregory, left, gives a backyard farming kit to a recipient in Abaco during the launch of the Agricultural Development Organization and Church Commercial Farming Group initiative in Marsh Harbour December 8.
1st insert: Reverend Clyde Bain, Church Commercial Farming Group administrator, helps to distribute dozens of backyard farming kits to residents of Abaco who registered online for the program operated in conjunction with the Agricultural Development Organization. ADO is headed by Philip Smith (below), who spent 17 years feeding the hungry before turning to a way to end hunger and live healthier through growing what you eat and eating what you grow.
2nd insert: Philip Smith founded Agricultural Development Organization to help end hunger by growing what you eat and eating what you grow. He was driven to find a better way to fight hunger after spending 17 years feeding the hungry, the last nine as head of Bahamas Feeding Network where he continues to serve on the board.
3rd insert: Reason to smile – Reverend Pat Paul, General Superintendent Assemblies of God Church in The Bahamas including Turks and Caicos, tells the crowd gathered at the church in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, for a backyard farming kit distribution that if we grew only 25% of our nutritional needs, we would save more than $250 million a year in food import costs.
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
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