We did it! The country hosted its first national mass festival since COVID-19, and by all reports from the organisers, it was a resounding success. Bajans, young and old, flocked to Queen’s Park for what was on offer at Agrofest .
Particular interest was paid by some young, promising food and livestock workers.
We reported that 16-year-old Barry Bishop, who is desirous of starting his own fish breeding business, was thankful for the return of the festival.
He said: “It was actually good because I haven’t been to Agrofest in a few years so I was excited for it to come back. There is good stuff to buy and see. For sure I can’t wait until next year.”
Antonia Rock, who was part of a group of friends who participated in the event, said she had a wonderful time: “I wasn’t expecting such a large crowd, honestly. I’m glad to see the people were excited to be back out and enjoying everything . . . . It was well attended and I had a good time.”
Sandra Craig, owner of SS Natural Fruit Flavoured Inc., shared that her first time at Agrofest was well worth it. She sold out on the first day of the two-day event.
Those are just a few of the many patrons and vendors who attended.
Even as we continue to battle the deadly COVID-19 virus, I think we all can agree that our country needed Agrofest 2022. The free event was staged days after the mask mandate was lifted for persons outdoors. There was also no need to be tested or show proof of vaccination to enter. Who knows, maybe this is the new direction Government is heading in as we all come to grips with the reality that we must live our best lives with the virus that has no cure.
What we do know for sure is that the agriculture sector needed Agrofest, the vendors needed it, the patrons needed it, and relations between Barbados and Guyana surely benefitted immensely from it.
More than 150 Guyanese and more than 45 Guyanese companies participated in the extravaganza that Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali attended.
He said during his feature address: “The relationship that we are building between Guyana and Barbados is to bring economic prosperity to both countries. We are not looking at winning in one area or creating a situation where we are carving out an area for you and an area for Guyana. That is not what we want. We want a holistic approach to this relationship so that we create economic prosperity in every sector and in everything that we do together as one country, Guyana and Barbados.”
Apart from the agriculture interest, there was a model house from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sister country on show too. Guyanese company Dura Villa is due to construct and export 1 000 of those homes in collaboration with Barbados’ National Housing Corporation (NHC), to be sold on the Barbadian market.
There was also an overwhelming interest in Guyana-made products. Head of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Rafeek Khan told the News Room online publication that there were more than 22 000 visitors at the Guyana pavilion at the agricultural fest, and he estimated that patrons spent more than US$55 000 on Guyanese products.
What may have contributed to this high demand, he said, was the low cost of products made in the ‘Land of Many Waters’.
“Barbados has been importing from extra-regional (markets), basic products that we have in our sectors in Guyana that we have available at a cheaper price,” he said.
While the attendees from Guyana were happy about their participation, the organiser of the festival, the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), was equally satisfied with the overall attendance and interest.
BAS chief executive officer James Paul told the media: “I am completely happy that Barbadians want to see the success of agriculture, want to celebrate it. It is a way in which we can actually get young people more enthused about the sector. I would like to thank the Barbadian public for continuing to support Agrofest and, by that, agriculture in Barbados.”
We, too, are pleased with what took transpired during the two-day festival, and commend Government and the BAS for taking this bold step.
