BY DESTINY JOHNSON
Journal Staff Writer

The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) launched its One-to-One
Challenge Programme, aimed at planting one tree for each citizen in the archipelago.
The first of three trees were planted at Doris Johnson Senior High School, CI Gibson and CV
Bethel Senior High School.
Executive Chairman of BAMSI Senator Tyrel Young, while at the tree planting at Doris Johnson,
said the initiative of planting over 400,000 trees is helping to prepare food for the next
generation.
“So, the name of the initiative that we went with is One-to-One challenge. So, it’s one tree to
every citizen of the Bahamas. That is the challenge that we undertake and that we want to see
how best we can meet that goal. It’s a long-term goal, we want to do that over the next three, four
years. So, we will do our best to see how best we can meet that goal,” he said on Monday.
“We want to start off with the public schools because it’s not just a food security initiative. It’s
also a training initiative and an awareness initiative. So, we want to make the students, first of
all, aware as to what is happening and what is necessary for our future and their future. So, we
see it fitting to make sure that we start off with our public schools to create the knowledge
around the whole program and to also create awareness of how important it is for us to know
what we have to do in order to make ourselves food secure.”
Minister of State for the Environment Zane Lightbourne attended the tree planting at Doris
Johnson and expressed how important these initiatives are for food security.
“So, this is very important that we partner with all agents or agencies that seek to provide our
country with the next generation of not only food security, but also, we talked about climate
resilience and considering what our effects are on climate change and to see if we can reverse the
negative effects of climate change. So, things like planting have multiple positive attributes,
Minister Lightbourne said.
Ambassador to CARICOM Leslia Miller-Brice, also represented at the tree planting at C.I
Gibson, expressed her delight for being a part of such a great initiative.
“BAMSI is throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas doing great things. This is just one of
their initiatives that they have planned over the next few years, and that is to plant fruit trees
throughout the entire country. Food sustainability and food security is extremely important to
BAMSI, and so this is just one of their initiatives. So, it is a joy and a delight and a pleasure for
me to be here today to take part in such an historic moment,” Ambassador Miller-Brice said.

Students from CI Gibson also expressed their excitement for the tree and its impact on society in
the future.
“I’m grateful that BAMSI included my school CI Gibson for the one-on-one tree challenge.
Today we planted an avocado tree and I’m so excited to be able to include this inside our, you
know, breakfast and everything. Fresh fruit for everything. Indeed, I look forward to eating this
avocado in the next five years. Trust me, I will be looking out for this tree,” one of the students
said.
BAMSI is encouraging Bahamians all across the archipelago to join in on the challenge and plant
fruit trees in their neighborhood and yard for the next generation and to secure sustainable food
sources.