Williams College
January 2012
ENVI 25
Sustainable
Eleuthera
Farm Interviews
Elideux Joseph
• Traditional
Pothole farming
technique
• No chemicals or
irrigation
"Every time someone says thank you, I get rain."
- why he gave away his produce
David Carey
• Heavy herbicide use
• Lost $30,000 in Hurricane Irene
• No insurance; government came
to evaluate damages but never
followed up
• Sells to the packing house, but
refuses to do so on a large scale
because it's not profitable:
"They're just irresponsible...I've been
given $0.12/lb for cabbages, how are
you going to do that?...I like working,
but I don't like working for nothing!"
Bishop Nixon
“They say all the right things, but do nothing.”- on government
• Not enough support from
government; sells only 10%of
produce to packing house
• Reserved about Wild Dog
Initiative, lost 30 animals to dogs
• Head of Farmer's Association in
South Eleuthera, currently
working on Green House
Initiative
Bishop Dudley Kelly
• Lost his crop this
year to Irene
• Hurricanes are a big
challenge to farmers
on Eleuthera
• Stresses the need
for government to
encourage youth to
become part of
agriculture.
"If you don't have young men and women in any business,
then that business is dying."
Edrin Symonette
• Suggests government
programs and other start-up
assistance for potential
farmers
• Recommends both citrus
and livestock as profitable
ventures, though fixed costs
are high
• Highly supportive of a
processing plant
A processing plant would allow farmers to sell grades B-D
produce, establish new markets, encourage alternative
crops and make farming more attractive as a profession.
Pharis Cash
• Takes advantage
of government
funding and land
programs
• Has issues with
marketing during
a glut
• Suggested that
a processing
plant would be
very successful
I have too many pumpkins, no
one will take them. I just leave
them on the ground to rot and go
back into the Earth.
Lady Di
• Daughter is interested
in farming
• Soil is rich enough to
grow pineapples,
always in demand so
one of the most
successful farmers
• Thought that
processing plant
should not be run by
government but rather
farmer's association
"I always like to play in the dirt
and farming is fun and easy." Sabrina, Lady Di's daughter.
Packinghouse: Background
Operations
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Middle Man
• Straight to Nassau
Packinghouse: Background
Operations
• Middle Man
• Straight to Nassau
• Ministry of Agriculture
Interviews
• Godfrey Deveaux (Packinghouse manager in S. Eleuthera)
• Phillip Miller (Under Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture)
• Amanda Wells (Agricultural Officer with BAIC)
Packinghouse: Current Issues
•
•
•
•
Lack of availability of local food on Eleuthera
Low prices for farmers
9000 dollar cap
Dismantling system?
Packinghouse: Suggestions
Communication
• Distributing Intermediary
• Communicative Link
• BAIC (Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation)
Packinghouse: Suggestions
Communication
• Distributing Intermediary
• Communicative Link
• BAIC (Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation)
9000 Dollar Cap
Packinghouse: Suggestions
Communication
• Distributing Intermediary
• Communicative Link
• BAIC (Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation)
9000 Dollar Cap
Packinghouse Future
• Expand the role
• Only institution in place
Processing Plant
Problems
• Packing House only buys Grade A produce, Grade B-D
either processed by the farmers or is “left on the field”
Problems
• Packing House only buys Grade A produce, Grade B-D
either processed by the farmers or is “left on the field”
• Gluts on certain crops, make their cultivation unprofitable
Problems
• Packing House only buys Grade A produce, Grade B-D
either processed by the farmers or is “left on the field”
• Gluts on certain crops, make their cultivation unprofitable
• Packing House requirements “force” the farmers to use
excessive amounts of fertilizers to achieve the Grade A
standard
The Economic Opportunity
Value Added Through Processing
Raw/Processed Product
Unit
Price of Unprocessed
Products
(USD)
Packaging or
Canning
Containers' Cost
(USD)
Average Price of
Processed
(USD)
1
Tomato/Salsa
lb
0.68
6
2
Banana/Banana Chips
lb
0.4
10
3
Cabbage/Kimchi
12 for 1 case
7 for 1 lb
4
Mango/Dried Mango
17 for 1 case
56 for 1 lb
5
Pumpkin/Canned Pumpkin
lb
0.25
3
0.50
6
Watermelon/WtMelon Juice
lb
0.3
10
0.40
0.50
0.50
Assumptions:
1. Pricelist 2. Conservative Estimate of Price of the Processed
Good
The Model
• Stationary
• Equipment Purchased
already?
• High capacity
• Ability to process several
crops
• Cost: ?
• Geography
The Model
• Geography
• Lower capacity
• Ability to process several
crops
• Cost: Vermont Mobile
Flash Freeze Unit - USD
$75,000
• Mobile
Further Considerations & Suggestions
• Importance of various types of equipment
• Need for training on Marketing and Researching –
Simeon Pinder
• The Standard of Quality
• Niche marketing
• Ownership structure
o Private
o Packing house management
o Farmer's association
Mobile Slaughterhouse
• Livestock a good investment for farmers
o Large demand
Mobile Slaughterhouse
• Livestock a good investment for farmers
o Large demand
o Available year-round
Mobile Slaughterhouse
• Livestock a good investment for farmers
o Large demand
o Available year-round
o More profitable than produce
Mobile Slaughterhouse
• Livestock a good investment for farmers
o Large demand
o Available year-round
o More profitable than produce
o Young people relatively interested
Mobile Slaughterhouse
• Livestock a good investment for farmers
o Large demand
o Available year-round
o More profitable than produce
o Young people relatively interested
• Issues with livestock production
o Lack of slaughterhouse
Mobile Slaughterhouse
• Livestock a good investment for farmers
o Large demand
o Available year-round
o More profitable than produce
o Young people relatively interested
• Issues with livestock production
o Lack of slaughterhouse
o Wild dogs
•
M
o
b
Mobile slaughterhouse more suitable than stationary
i
o Lower cost: stationary slaughterhouse costs four times as
much
l
o Fits needs of geographically dispersed farmers
e
o Decreases
stresses put on animals, increasing quality of
meat
S
"I would buy local but
l to keep my
I have
areputation."
- Chef at high-end
urestaurant
g
Mobile slaughterhouse: Operation
Public vs. private ownership
• inefficiency problem with public ownership.
• default danger with private ownership.
• Animal waste
o Hides processed to make leather
o Other waste can be used to make fertilizer
Restaurants
• Potential market, but current problems
o Cost
o Consistency
o Lack of coordination
• Interviewed 10 chefs and buyers about local problems
Restaurants: Suggestions
Changes to packing house system
• Increase communication with buyers
• Act as centralized distributor
Restaurants: Suggestions
Changes to packing house system
Mobile slaughterhouse
• Allows for legal sale of local meat
• Faster, fresher delivery
Restaurants: Suggestions
Changes to packing house system
Mobile slaughterhouse
Value added plant
• Increases availability
• Pre-made food products
Restaurants: Suggestions
Changes to packing house system
Mobile slaughterhouse
Value added plant
Increasing marketing of local food
• Increases demand for local food
• Focus on tourists
Restaurants: Suggestions
Changes to packing house system
Mobile slaughterhouse
Value added plant
Increasing marketing of organics
Changing planting of crops
• Increasing lettuce, other greens
• Focus on what is needed on island
Youth and the Future of Farming
Youth and the Future of Farming
“If I had a message to to
send to the Bahamian
government, it would be to
encourage young men.”
-Bishop Dudley Kelly on the
future of farming
Youth and the Future of Farming
• Visit to Central Eleuthera High School
Youth and the Future of Farming
• Visit to Central Eleuthera High School
• Student demographics
Youth and the Future of Farming
• Visit to Central Eleuthera High School
• Student demographics
• Student interviews
Youth and the Future of Farming
Survey Results
Youth and the Future of Farming
Survey Results
• Did you enjoy farming?
Youth and the Future of Farming
Survey Results
• Would you consider farming as an occupation?
Youth and the Future of Farming
Survey Results
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
• Common complaints
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
• Common complaints
3) Physical difficulty
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
• Common complaints
3) Physical difficulty
2) Weather
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
• Common complaints
3) Physical difficulty
2) Weather
"The sun is very harsh and
hot... it's not good!"
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
• Common complaints
3) Physical difficulty
2) Weather
1) Cleanliness
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids like farming?
• Gender divide
• Common complaints
3) Physical difficulty
2) Weather
1) Cleanliness
"I don't like it, too dirty. I
don't wanna get out and get
dirty that much."
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
o Recurring themes
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
o Recurring themes
 Stability
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
o Recurring themes
 Stability
 Higher education
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
"Just the essential things I
need the most... not on a
large scale."
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
"Most of my friends want to
do something big."
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
o Reasons for aversion
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
o Reasons for aversion
3) Distance
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
o Reasons for aversion
3) Distance
"It's not what we do... the old
folks do it."
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
o Reasons for aversion
3) Distance
2) Unprofitable
Youth and the Future of Farming
Why don't kids want to farm
professionally?
• Common career goals
• Perception of farming as an occupation
o Perceived role of farming
o Reasons for aversion
3) Distance
2) Unprofitable
1) Unstable
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Mentorship program in school
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Mentorship program in school
o Benefits to agriculture class
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Mentorship program in school
o Benefits to agriculture class
o Positive role models
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Mentorship program in school
o Benefits to agriculture class
o Positive role models
o Natural professional support
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Mentorship program in school
o Benefits to agriculture class
o Positive role models
o Natural professional support
o Supports existing farmers
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
o Current support for farming
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
o Current support for farming
o Possible ways to help
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
o Current support for farming
o Possible ways to help
 Land grant system
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
o Current support for farming
o Possible ways to help
 Land grant system
 Technical assistance
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
o Current support for farming
o Possible ways to help
 Land grant system
 Technical assistance
 Processing plant
Youth and the Future of Farming
Recommendations
• Support from government
o Current support for farming
o Possible ways to help
 Land grant system
 Technical assistance
 Processing plant
 Meat processing
Thank You
to Josh Shultz for all
of his help with our
interviews and
research, and for
showing us around
Eleuthera!
also to the Island School for
hosting us on campus,
and to Shaun Ingraham for
his support!