Although it’s months away from being completed, there is already growing international interest in produce expected to come from the Agricultural and Marine Science Institute on North Andros, Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday.

The $4 million institute, set to open in September, will operate a small commercial farm intended to make food produce more available and cheaper and improve the country’s competitiveness in the tourism industry.

“Students and local farmers will make use of modern techniques to produce multiple crops on a year round basis,” the prime minister said as he addressed the 23rd Annual Bahamas Business Outlook. “These initiatives as part of a national training programme that will also be extended to other parts of The Bahamas, with a view to reducing our reliance on imported food products and to stem the outflow annually of hundreds of millions in foreign currency for imports.”

“International investors are already showing an interest in farming aimed at the export markets, which will not only create numerous jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians, but also provide a significant source of foreign currency earnings.”
Mr. Christie also explained that the National Training Agency is training many Bahamians, especially the unemployed, at various levels of expertise and equipping them with the necessary skills to take advantage of the thousands of new jobs which he said will be created throughout The Bahamas.
“An integral part of our major thrust in education and training is the advancement of the College of The Bahamas with notable external universities and institutions which are prepared to assist us in our national economic, training and social programs,” the prime minister said.