BAMSI supports school agriculture programs, with donation of livestock

By Kathryn Campbell

BIS

NASSAU, The Bahamas, March 16, 2023 – In keeping with the Government’s efforts to foster food security and sustainability, the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) presented livestock to three schools Monday, March 13, 2023.

H.O. Nash Junior High School and C.V. Bethel Senior High School were the recipients of piglets and St. Augustine’s College received laying hens.

BAMSI Chairman Senator Tyrel Young said the institution is embarking on a project to support the agriculture programme in schools throughout The Bahamas.

“The whole goal is to support the schools now in order to garner students and get them interested in the agriculture sector for The Bahamas so we can continue to grow this industry. Without the human resource and the expertise in this field farming would not be possible moving forward.

“A part of the food security and sustainability efforts as a government we are doing our part at BAMSI supporting wherever and whenever we can,” he said.

With other programs set to come on stream, Senator Young said this initiative will tie into the BAMSI Cadet program that is soon to be launched.
“Schools like this [H.O. Nash] that already have programs we want to show them that they do have support. The government agencies are here to do what we can to support you.

“The training aspect of it for the students is where BAMSI comes in. We’ll have our technical officers give technical support and education that they can disseminate at the high school level. This will help to garner students and pique their interest from the school level. These are the students BAMSI is looking to enroll in the institution moving forward. The goal is to start the interest now from the high school level in an effort to get those students interested so when they leave high school they will be interested in enrolling in BAMSI. This is how we educate our sector to move forward for the future.”

Senator Young explained that the choice of piglets for schools is because swine production is at its lowest in The Bahamas and BAMSI is attempting to perpetuate bloodlines and herds.

“BAMSI is soon to open its first piggery in north Andros and that would be its breeding program for the swine where we can disseminate the piglets throughout The Bahamas.  BAMSI is also opening its commercial-sized layer house to produce some 216 cartons of eggs per day.  That will tie into the national Golden Yolk project for which BAMSI will be the incubator.”

Photo Caption: BAMSI Chairman Senator Tyrel Young is pictured at C.V. Bethel Senior High School and H.O. Nash Junior High School, touring their agriculture facilities.  (BIS Photos/Anthon Thompson)