Local farmers are expected to benefit significantly from the creation of a programme being launched as part of The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Sciences Institute (BAMSI) meant to give local producers more access to the markets and a greater share of profits through a processing facility to be opened on North Andros.

The initiative is the Associated Farmers Programme which will allow qualified farmers to be spawned and arranged in a manner that they will produce selected crops and livestock enterprises according to the stipulated scientific in place at the main farm at BAMSI.

The initiative is seen as a part of the institute, which is set to open in September, outreach programme.

“They will be monitored by our adjunct staff who will be responsible for technology assurance in the field,” said Dr. Omer Thomas, special consultant to the government on the institute.

“Those farmers having produced in that manner will recognise the virtue of growing according to the principles of science and the profit margin that they will get that others who are not yet on that programme, will be so mindful to either join or do it the way their colleagues are doing it.”

The programme will be a 12-month exercise in which the crop production programme will identify certain crops and certain acreages that will be brought into production each month to ensure that there is a regular supply.

“Harvesting every single week for 52-weeks so we determine what the yield output will be so you can at all time, determine what you need for your supermarket and that you’re going to get it at the quality you normally get it at other places,” Dr. Thomas said.

In order to benefit, farmers will need to become a part of the Associated Farmers Programme.

Dr. Thomas explained that all of the member farmer will form a part of the crop scheduling programme that will drive the market. This he said will guarantee these associated farmers the payment for their produce once it is taken because of certain mechanisms that will allow for payment on a regular basis.

“We wouldn’t have any farmer waiting for more than 14-days to be paid for the produce that was taken into our packing facility,” he said.

Dr. Thomas said that in addition to taking fresh produce to market, they will also use non marketable qualities in processing so the farmer will also benefit from the profits from the processing and doesn’t only get profits from the fresh market.