IICA promotes backyard gardening for food security

In an ambitious bid to restore a fading tradition and bolster food security, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has joined forces with the St Michael West constituency branch of the Barbados Labour Party to promote kitchen gardening across Barbados.

Technical Assistant at IICA Barbados Zachary Benjamin told Barbados TODAY over the weekend that through the Project CARE initiative, IICA was hosting a series of workshops to reintroduce Barbadians to the fundamentals of backyard gardening, a practice once embedded in the cultural and economic fabric of island life but waning in modern times.

“We here at IICA are working in conjunction with the Project CARE programme… just to showcase and demonstrate to persons the importance of backyard gardening, in light of the global food challenges,” he said on the sidelines of the latest workshop held at the Hinds Building, The City. “We can be responsible for the food we grow and the food we consume.”

Participants received a variety of seedlings—including herbs, eggplant, tomatoes, sweet peppers, lettuce, and cucumber—as well as basic gardening tools and gloves. But more than equipment, organisers hope to cultivate a mindset shift, encouraging citizens to see food production not as a daunting chore but as an empowering daily act.

“A lot of people think it is hard to grow food… but what we’re trying to do is allow people to maximise the small spaces that they have in their backyards. We’re looking at growing the lettuce, the thymes, the parsley, tomatoes… everything doesn’t have to go into the ground. Buckets, empty feed bags, containers—there are so many different options that you can choose from,” Benjamin said.

The initiative comes at a time of growing regional concern over food imports, inflation, and global supply chain disruptions—all of which have renewed focus on local agricultural resilience.

Member of Parliament for St Michael West, Chris Gibbs welcomed the collaboration, noting that the programme aligns with his constituency’s push to empower communities through sustainable practices.

“This actually could not come at a better time. We all know about the threats of food security in the region,” Gibbs said. “So when they asked me to come and present it to my constituents, I was very grateful…. This will also contribute to greater food security in our country.”

So far, around 50 residents have participated in the seminars. But the organisers are planning to widen the reach through YouTube videos, capturing practical tutorials for those who may not be able to attend in person.

The initiative forms part of IICA’s broader outreach to all 30 constituencies across the island, with the goal of reigniting grassroots food production through education, innovation, and community partnerships.

“It can be easy—if you want it to be easy,” said Benjamin.

Gibbs added that as Barbados continues to confront climate pressures, rising food prices, and shifting lifestyles, projects like these are not just nostalgic—they’re essential. By returning to the soil, residents are not only reconnecting with tradition but planting the seeds of a more secure and self-reliant future, he said. (SZB)