Bilateral meeting with H.E. Indar Weir, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security of Barbados

Rome - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met H.E. ​​Indar Weir, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security of Barbados on the sidelines of the World Food Forum 2024 at FAO headquarters in Rome. 

The FAO Director-General welcomed the Minister to the World Food Forum and conveyed his appreciation for the Prime Minister’s recorded message to the World Food Forum. 

Minister Weir underlined his country's commitment to improving food security and nutrition by implementing initiatives that aim to transform the agrifood system. He added that they are transitioning their approach to supporting smallholder farmers, providing them with digital crop management and smart irrigation technologies.

While acknowledging Barbados' status as a tourist destination, Minister Weir emphasized the preservation of sugarcane as a symbol of the country's agricultural heritage, particularly as the birthplace of rum. He also drew attention to a pilot rice project at Fairy Valley, undertaken in collaboration with Chinese expertise and innovation, aimed at diversifying the island's agriculture and bolstering food security.

Minister Weir explained that Barbados faces significant agricultural constraints due to limited land availability and the increasing impacts of climate change. He noted that the rainy season had been lengthening each year, leading to more frequent floods and consequent crop losses. To address these challenges, he highlighted a project focused on digital agriculture, aimed at enhancing the productivity of high-demand horticultural crops and aquaculture.

The FAO Director-General inquired about the promotion of "taro" root known as "eddo" in Barbados and suggested exploring the potential for exporting this crop. The Director-General further acknowledged Barbados' limited land area, but recognized the potential for real estate development. He suggested exploring ways to integrate housing and agriculture through the Green Cities Initiative, promoting community gardens, agrifood systems, and agrotourism.