New institute, 100 acres for young farmers, says Mottley

School-leavers interested in agriculture are to have access to 100 acres of land under a new government initiative to boost food security and modernise farming, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced on Wednesday as she opened the state-of-the-art Hope Agricultural Training Institute in St Lucy.

The $40 million facility is designed to equip young people with modern, practical skills while linking land access with training and technology.

“It is why this government has committed to also making immediately available a hundred acres of land for agricultural production by young people,” Mottley said, adding: “If you come here and learn well, there will be opportunities made available to you, because that new horizon can only be built by your passion, your commitment, and your innovation.”

Situated on 45 acres, the Hope Agricultural Training Institute is a gift to Barbados from a Chinese government grant. The institute is intended to become the pinnacle of training in crop production, animal husbandry, and the operation and maintenance of heavy-duty agricultural equipment.

The institute would play a central role in national development and in reshaping agriculture away from its historical foundations, Mottley. “I genuinely believe that this institution at this time will have a pivotal role to play in our country’s development,” she said, noting that “if we were going to be able to successfully establish an agricultural sector, we needed to be able to turn away from the plantation model.”

She stressed that the future of agriculture in Barbados depended on modernisation and integration. “We need to be able to recognise and highlight the marriage of capital, money, the marriage of technology, the marriage of innovation, and the marriage of the passion of our young people, with the appropriate regulatory frameworks,” she said.

Agro-processing must sit at the core of agricultural stability, Mottley declared. “That is why our Government has worked assiduously to create linkages in agriculture, and to also signal that a strong agro-processing sector is at the core of the stability of this sector,” she told the audience. “Ensure that our young people get the best access to training and technology that will further, one, improve their knowledge, two, improve their yields, and three, start to allow them to be innovative.”

Reflecting on Barbados’ historical leadership in agricultural research, Mottley noted that the country once led the world in cane breeding and was responsible for the development of the grapefruit, the aloe barbadensis, and the Barbados cherry, and had a superior cotton variety – Sea Island Cotton. She lamented that much of this legacy has been lost, with some of these crops now more prevalent overseas than in Barbados.

Addressing students directly, Mottley urged them to reclaim that legacy and think beyond the island’s size. “I want you to understand what you must now accept as your responsibility to return this country to a level of glory with respect to agricultural research and innovation,” she said, encouraging them “to see themselves as global pioneers, not constrained by the size of 166 square miles”.

Mottley emphasised the need for improved processing and storage to prevent agricultural waste and ensure the sector contributes to health, affordability, and economic resilience. She warned that poor diets are driving a diabetes epidemic, with rising cases of amputations, kidney disease, and blindness. Against the backdrop of Barbados’s 60th anniversary and five years as a republic, she called for greater participation in agriculture and agro-processing to secure the nation’s food and economic future.

Sandra Husbands, minister of training and vocational education in the last days of the Mottley administration before next week’s general election, said the handover of the Hope Agricultural Training Institute marked a significant milestone, describing it as a strategic investment in young people, technology, and the future of agriculture. The partnership with China was aimed at strengthening food security, exports, and economic growth, while equipping youth with modern, climate-smart and innovative skills across the agri-value chain, she added.

Ambassador to Barbados Zheng Bingkai also hailed the handover as a milestone in China–Barbados cooperation, saying the project reflected shared values of diligence, wisdom, and governance. He said it aligned with Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in support of food security, youth empowerment, modern agriculture, and economic growth, while deepening the long-standing partnership between both countries.