New Growth

egacy Foundation has launched the $40 000 New Growth Aquaponics and Farming Project at Ellerton Primary School.

According to principal Andrew Haynes and Agricultural Science teacher Lisa Greenidge, the project, developed in partnership with educators at the St George educational institution, is a significant milestone in the school’s journey towards sustainability, innovation and holistic education.

Haynes said it also marked a pivotal moment as the school transcends “traditional boundaries of learning and embraces a multifaceted approach that integrates environmental consciousness, technological advancement and experiential learning”.

He added: “Our vision for this project is centred around our students. Through this initiative, they will gain invaluable educational opportunities, delving into hands-on experiences in animal husbandry, sustainable agriculture and the principles of aquaponics. This practical approach extends their learning beyond textbooks, allowing them to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios and setting them up for success in the real world.”

Programme Development Coordinator at the Legacy Foundation Hanif Moore said this is the first of three similar projects being undertaken by the charity. He reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to make “a massive positive impact that will leave a lasting impression as we engage and invest opportunities with our community impact objectives”.

The collaborative efforts, according to the foundation’s vice-chairman Ayodele Burrowes, realised the charity’s goal of the advancement of agricultural science education at the school and, by extension, the community.

“Legacy’s theme, Supporting Learning Wellness and Empowerment, was very much borne out in the vision of the school’s projects. From today (Monday), Ellerton Primary becomes one of only a few public schools in Barbados equipped with an aquaponic strategy, and perhaps the first of our public primary schools.

“We at Legacy Foundation have taken a broad, long-term generational view of our corporate philanthropic efforts and have focused on initiatives that seek to sustain productivity, specifically in the areas of education, wellness and empowerment, especially for underserved groups.”

Burrowes encouraged corporate Barbados and other organisations to embrace these kinds of philanthropic initiatives, “recognising that we cannot depend exclusively on the guidance and resources of the State for our development as a nation”.

She said it was hoped that the project would open career opportunities in agricultural science for Ellerton Primary students, including aquaponics, which will “ultimately redound to Barbados’s benefit”.

MP for St George South Dwight Sutherland, in welcoming Legacy’s investment in the school, urged educators to have an open day for members of the community to get a first-hand look at the project as it has the potential to become the launching pad for building a sustainable community.

“You are now pushing the frontiers of creating new job opportunities for the many young people in this community. You are now pushing the opportunity for our young people now to become educators in their own community and in their homes, and we know that these are some of the vulnerable communities,” Sutherland said.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Indar Weir added that it was his wish to see the project replicated in schools across the island.

“I like the idea of having it at a primary school because we have to catch them when they are young. We have to find a way to induce young children to have an appreciation for agriculture, and this project here is a nexus between legacy agriculture, in Black Belly sheep rearing,  and . . .  then contemporary agriculture, driven by technology in the hydroponic system and the irrigation system.

“So that when we talk about using technology and agriculture, where you heard today that even from your mobile phone app you can turn on the sprinkler, etcetera, this is seeing it live,” Weir said.

(FW)