Another official says agriculture isn’t just gov’t’s responsibility
Residents of the BVI are again being urged to take a more active role in food production, as Director of Agriculture Theodore James joins a growing list of government officials calling for greater public involvement in the sector.
James’ remarks come amid recent statements from Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who has stressed that food security is a shared responsibility and encouraged residents to engage in backyard farming while supporting local farmers and fishers.
Speaking during an interview with ZBVI recently, James emphasised that agriculture cannot be left solely to farmers or the government, but requires a collective national effort.
“So what I can tell you is this… it is not only on the farmer, it is on all of us as individuals,” James said. “Let us not wait for farmers — local, regional, or even international. We should all be seeing the signs, and we should all be investing into our own backyard gardens, into hydroponics, into aquaponics.”
He warned that ensuring consistent food availability in the territory depends on residents taking personal responsibility for production, particularly in light of global uncertainties affecting food supply chains.
“It is not only on the farmer, it is not only on government — it is on all of us to play our part,” he added.
James also addressed concerns about whether enough is being done at the government level to support farmers and meet agricultural goals. While acknowledging limitations, he said efforts are ongoing to provide assistance.
“We are doing the best that we can — to assist where we can, to provide finances where we can, to provide training where we can,” James explained. “But it is on the farmer, the fisher, and even the backyard individual to take what we provide and multiply it.”
He described the need for a “ripple effect” across the territory, where individuals use available resources and information to expand production and strengthen the local food system.
“If we just sit on the information, if we sit on our land and don’t invest… then we are not going to see the growth we need,” he said.
The Agriculture Director further urged farmers and fishers to adopt a more business-oriented mindset, noting that they must see themselves as entrepreneurs responsible for the success of their operations.
“A farmer and fisher are not just that — they are CEOs of their company,” James said. “And as CEOs, they must take matters into their own hands and make the tough decisions required to ensure their business delivers.”
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THE IDIOT’S FACE , AGRICULTURE IS THE BACKBOME OF EVERY COUNTRY’S STABILITY, THE GOVERNMENT NEED YO GET SERIOUS AND AT LEAST BUILD A FARM SO THAT WE CAN FEED OURSELVES WITH NATURALLY GROWN VEGATEBLES , AND NOT HAVING TO BE DEPENDANT ON OUTSIDE ( GMO) FOOD FOR OUR SURVIVAL / BUT THEN AGAIN ~ WE HOLLERING OUT ( INDEPENDENCE ) AND WE NOT TAKING CARE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURES / LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE GROWING THEIR OWN FOOD TO HELP THEMSELVES WITH THE PRICES OF BUYING THE OUTSIDE ( GMO) FOODS AT THE SUPERMARKETS THESE DAYS WHERE THE PRICES ARE BRING USED AS A WEAPON ON US THE CONSUMERS, THOSE WHO HAVE RAISED THEIR OWN SALARIES DON’T MIND, THEY CAN AFFORD IT / SO ITS ALL ABOUT THEM , TOO BAD FOR US WHO HAS TO LOOK AT THEM ” SHOWING OFF ” THEMSELVES WITH THEIR BIG SHOPPING CART LOADED WITH GROCERIES AND HAPPY AND ALL SMILES ON THEIR FACES AS THEY LOOK DOWN ON US , WHO BETTER GET OUT THEIR WAY BEFORE THEY RUN YOU DOWN
The Government does NOT need to have a farm , what they need to do is susidize and incentivize businesses to farm and fish much in the same way that they susidize the ferrys .In fact the ferry with their high prices should not be subsidized at all we dont see any benefits.At least with farming we would see a tangible benefit.
Impossible sans
adequate. W A T E R. H2O WATER. WATER
Talktalktalkis bs
To get more people into agriculture the government needs to SUPPORT the industry in a very real way. Not grants for anyone who can submit/inflate paperwork – that inevitably end up being given to people who do not farm. Subsidize the production. Purchase the produce at a good rate. REAL SUPPORT.
I agree with your points and would also like to add that if we are going to promote local agriculture in the VI, we need to also establish an island wide removal program for the invasive green iguanas that destroying crops.
sounds good
Support for Agriculture means money for a building (and those lucrative kickback contracts for family and friends) and handouts for anyone not actually involved in farming.
Where there is no vision, the land will perish.
Agriculture in Tortola can no longer be treated as a matter of whims or favoritism. Every time taxpayers’ money is invested without proper planning, without a qualified technical team, and with decisions based on personal connections, the island’s future—and that of those who depend on this vital sector—is put at risk.
It is time to set aside passions and shortcuts: agriculture requires strategy, science, and professionals with hands-on experience. Hiring specialists, developing sustainable plans, and evaluating every investment with transparency must be the priority. Only in this way can a historically overlooked sector become a true engine of economic growth and food security for Tortola.
This is not about assigning blame, but about demanding responsibility: the well-being of the island and its people must come above any personal or familial interest. Agriculture deserves respect, careful planning, and a long-term vision.
I think the government should also be farming. The department was better in the pass, because we had people in the department that knew and cared about farming. Now there are people living on the land and not using the land for what it was intended for. Just to show how much they dont care about agriculture, there is a plot of mango trees at parry and when these trees have on mangoes, they dont even harvest these mangoes to be sold to the market. They just allow anyone from anywhere to go there and pick. We need a shake up in the agriculture department ASAP
Government, Government! Politicians and their cronies want to control everything and everybody. We have a depend on government mentality that is stifling or potential as a people.
Can we get a government ran farm plz and or fish farm. You give the workers high salaries (deserved) and that’ll get everyone’s interest back into farming. Supermarket prices plunge and the excess is exported