BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard is on target to distributing 20,000 backyard kits on Grand Bahama as part of an “aggressive” backyard farming programme recently launched by the government.

The idea, he said, is to help Bahamians cut costs on their food purchases by growing their own produce.

Backyard kits were provided to all five constituencies on the island. Yesterday, Mr Pintard, the MP for Marco City, distributed kits to his constituents at his Constituency Office on Pioneer’s Way.

He said he was very excited to be revitalizing a programme started by former Agriculture Minister Larry Cartwright.

“We expect really by the end of September or early October that we would have probably distributed 20,000 kits; we have 10,000 on the island and another 10,000 that will be in shortly, and our goal is to continue to order the kits,” he told The Tribune.

Beverley Cooper was very happy about her backyard farming kit. “I am so grateful for this because I started doing little farming already, I started growing watermelon, and now with this kit, I will be growing all kinds of vegetables. I am glad for what Mr Pintard is doing right now,” she said. “It is very well worth it.”

Edna Kemp said it is a blessing. “I am planting in my backyard and this is a blessing to me to help me grow more vegetables, I am grateful to him (Mr Pintard) for this,” she said.

Mr Pintard said that kits have also been provided to a number of churches to assist families.

“The idea really is to help (families) shave cost off their food bill,” he stated.

He noted that some residents will move on to doing community gardens or running their own commercial farms.

According to the minister, the country imports $600 m worth of food and fresh flowers. If the Bahamas can begin to grow and produce these things, he believes it could, in fact, shave off $200m of the $600m spent on imports.

“In these tough economic times, it is important for us to reduce the outflow of money and one way is to produce more of what you are consuming locally, and this is a part of that effort,” he explained.

The feedback from Bahamians about backyard farming has been “incredible,” reported Minister Pintard.

“I attended the distribution in Central Grand Bahama a few days ago there was an overwhelming response, and we expect the same thing will happen in Pineridge, East Grand Bahama, and West Grand Bahama.

“We know in New Providence they were having problems packaging to keep up with the pace, that’s how quickly people are requesting it,” he said.

Additionally, the Ministry will also be distributing hydroponic kits, primarily for growing leafy greens; and also launching Aquaponics at schools throughout the Bahamas.

“This is an exciting time and for the remainder of the summer we will be concentrating on Backyard farming, community farming, and putting climate-smart technology back in schools,” he said.