AGROTOURISM IN THE

GREEN ECONOMY
Roxanne Waithe
Agrotourism Specialist, IICA Office In Barbados
20
TH
September 2012
POLICY CONCERNS & INVESTMENT
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CARIBBEAN
Presentation Outline

Agriculture in the Green Economy
Agrotourism in the Green Economy
Status Caribbean Agrotourism project
initiatives and policy concerns
Opportunities for Investment



There can be no Green Economy
without Agriculture.


Agriculture & the Green Economy
Main concerns:
1) Producing more food with fewer resources

2) Using sustainable agricultural practices that
minimize the negative impacts of farming activities
on the environment

3) Adopting approaches and decisions that enable
smallholder farmers to break the cycle of poverty

.. Jamaica imports US$900 million worth of
food every year and they have a population of
approximately 3 million people.
Barbados has a population of just over
250,000, we receive about 500,000 tourists
every year, and our food import bill is US$700
million.
That makes us three times more food insecure
than Jamaica!
Dr. Chelston Brathwaite

Projected losses in food production due to climate change by 2080.
Source: The Environmental Food Crisis. The Environment's Role in Averting Future Food Crises. A UNEP
Rapid Assessment Report. 2009
Agriculture in the Green Economy
Agritourism
Agrotourism
Any activity, enterprise or business that
links agriculture with products, services
and experiences in tourism.
Ecotourism
Responsible travel to natural areas that
conserves the environment and
improves the well-being of local people.
Agro-ecotourism
Travel to rural farming communities that strive
to protect their natural and man-made resources
by using eco-friendly agricultural practices
Health &
Wellness: Spas,
Local remedies
Community
festivals
Farm Tours
Rural B & B
Culinary
Tourism
Agro-trade
(Agribusiness)
Historic
plantations &
agri-museums
Culinary experiences enhance All
tourism assets
...All travellers eat and drink

... Therefore food and drink
have a greater ability to make
long-lasting memories than any
other kind of tourism
experience .

Eric Wolf - President, International Culinary Tourism
Association Publisher, FoodTrekker.com
What are agro-ecotourists looking for?
Participate in food
production (and
consumption)

Learn about the lives
of rural people

Escape the hustle of
the city

Connect with nature
Agriculture
Nature
Heritage
Adventure
Who is making it work in our region?
Caribbean Agro-ecotourism
Initiatives
Recent developments:
IICA/CARICOM/OAS Agrotourism Conference
Sep 20 22, 2011
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Agrotourism Committee
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Transformation, Forestry
and Fisheries (MARTFF)
Ministry of Tourism and Industry (MTI)
Ministry of Rural Transformation, Information et al
Inter-America Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
(IICA)
Hotel Association
Taxi Drivers Association
WINFA
SVG Bureau of Standards (SVBS)
Taiwan Technical Mission
Cruise lines reps./Tour operators

Component
1 Assessment of sites for potential agro-ecotourism
development

2 Sanitary and safety equipment installed

3 Training workshops

4 Tour Routes Established and labeled

5 Promotional Materials Developed

6 Sites HACCP and ISO certified

7 Modification of present facilities to accommodate
visitors

8 Project Evaluation

National Agrotourism Project SVG
Project Sites
The national Agrotourism programme obtained
funding (US$53,990) from the Organisation of
American States (OAS) to develop the following
sites:

The Orange Hill Agricultural Cooperation Farm
supported by Taiwanese Farmers
The Cassava and Arrowroot Factories at Orange
Hill
Everdale Farms at Wallilabou
The Fruit Treecrop Germplasm Bank at Peters
Hope
The National Properties Farm at Mt Wynne
Project Status
Five training courses
completed:

Hospitality and Customer Service

Health and safety Basic First Aid
and Managing Emergency and
evacuation on a farm

Food preparation and Handling on
farm tourism sites

Tour guiding

Business Management and
Marketing


Tools and safety equipment
bought

300 labels/signs for trees

3 story boards completed

Rehabilitation of Building at
Peters Hope

Fencing and Provision of
Security Bars and Grills for
Site
Agrotourism
in
Grenada

Grenadas Agro Tourism Product/Service
Initiatives by Segments
Flamboyant & La Source hotels farming contracts with
farmers; Spice Isle Resort/Farmer Arrangements Over
EC$1 million in agricultural produce traded(high
Multiplier Effect )
Agro- Processors products used in tourism promotions
by Grenada Board of Tourism - De La Grenade
products(jams jellies, syrups liqueurs etc) Rums, Flowers,
coconut sweet products
80% of Fresh Vegetable needs by a hotels are supplied
locally but nearly 100% of meat needs are imported.



o Development of Gouyave Town(West Coast) as a Fish
Friday Centre- weekly fish fry night, art, craft, local
entertainment

o Mt. Moritz Breakfast @EC$10.00 traditional West Indian
breakfast serving salt fish, fried jacks, bakes, juice, cocoa
tea etc. every last Sunday of the month

o St Marks Food Festival local foods served in the parish
every last Saturday of the month

o Parish festivals Fishermans Birthday, Rainbow City
Festival, St. Patricks Day, Sailing Festivals Day, Tivoli
Saraca etc. where local foods are predominately featured






Financial and Socio-economic Impacts
National Assessment on the Gouyave Fish Friday
(2007)
Revenue/Earnings: the total dollar impact was
approx. one million EC dollars/annum
Increased fish catch and sales
Increased sale of produce and groceries by the
shops and super markets in the community
Social impacts: employment and job
creation(hiring of assistants, entertainers etc.)
Enhancement of community pride- putting Gouyave on the map,
enhancement of community infrastructure



KIRANI JAMES-GRENADAS OLYMPIC
GOLD MEDALLIST COMES FROM THE
FISH FRIDAY TOWN OF GOUYAVE
Nutmed products including the well
known Nutmed Spray by Noelville
Company

Belzeb is a producer of natural
aromatherapy, spa and herbal
products from Caribbean fruits and
herbs. Its products are featured in Moi
Spa at Mount Cinnamon Hotel

Arawak Islands Company produces
lifestyle products as soaps, colognes,
insect repellants, candles using local
herbs and flowers
Belmont Estate functioning organic cocoa estate: farm tours,
horticulture, goat dairy and offers an ultimate Caribbean agro-
tourism adventure.

Mango Festival - July 2009, 2010 & 2011: The Theme for the
2011 Festival was Embracing the King of fruits for nutritional,
social and economic benefits for our nation

Lauras Herb & Spice Garden spice tours and sale of
processed spices

Grenada Sugar Factory & Westerhall Estates Ltd.(historic rum
distilleries)

1. Lack of a national policy on agro-tourism
2. Perception of juggling for lead sector priority
between Agriculture and Tourism, instead of
capitalizing on the symbiotic relationship between
the two
3. Difficulty in accessing credit for development of
agro-tourism products
4. Lack of institutional support for agro-tourism
5. High foreign exchange leakages in the purchasing
of imported foods by the hotels and restaurants

AGRITOURISM ON STATIA -
LETS MAKE IT WORK!

Workshop Session Objectives:

1.Identify priority areas for agritourism
development in St. Eustatius

2.Specify critical actions required to
support agritourism development




Roxanne Waithe
Agrotourism Specialist
IICA Office in Barbados
Tel: 246.271.9212
Email: roxanne.waithe@iica.int