Water relief for Wakefield farmers

Farmers in a government-sponsored programme at Wakefield, St John, have secured a reliable water supply after two years of struggle, marking a crucial step towards boosting domestic food production, according to the government’s top agriculture official.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Terry Bascombe, confirmed to Barbados TODAY that water is now flowing to the farming district—offering long-awaited relief to cultivators who had struggled with poor yields since being allocated land under Project Phoenix in early 2022.

This development comes a year after Prime Minister Mia Mottley met with Wakefield farmers, following urgent calls for her intervention. During a farmers’ meeting in February 2023, crop producers voiced their frustration over critical challenges, including the lack of water, persistent monkey invasions, and deteriorating access roads. A day after their grievances were made public, Mottley visited the district and pledged to address their concerns. Bascombe confirmed that the government had delivered on its promise.

“The farmers at Wakefield now have access to water,” he said. “Many of them have reached out to express their relief. We were able to source water from a borehole at Lemon Arbour (St John), which is now being channelled directly to the Wakefield farmers. That water will be used to irrigate the same fields we discussed, and we are on track with our plans.”

Project Phoenix farmers are now expected to play a crucial role in the government’s plan to increase food production. Earlier this week, Bascombe also announced that approximately $2 million is being injected into a nationwide effort to ramp up agricultural output, with farming districts across the island being called upon to scale up their yields. With access to water now secured, Wakefield farmers can finally focus on maximising their harvests—helping to strengthen local food security and reduce reliance on imports.

Before having access to metered water, the farmers heavily relied on rainfall and had to wait for a water truck to fill up their tanks. (SZB)