Land that is suitable for crop production should be left for precisely that purpose.
This is the belief of the CEO of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, who spoke with the media during a press conference recently at his headquarters.
He said he has noticed a worrying trend of residences being built too close to agricultural land, which can have a negative impact on the farmland. In fact, this has been the case with
respect to some farmers in this country, he lamented.
“One of the points that I wish to make when it comes to the whole question of compromising agricultural land, [is] the closer that we bring residential settlements in proximity to agricultural operations, what it actually does, it compromises agricultural operations in the immediate location.”
Paul added, “I think that even in terms of the new development plan… that the location of settlements in Barbados should be taken into consideration, or where people can actually set up housing or not set up housing.”
“The other point that I wish to make when it comes to the question of the plan in itself, is that we therefore would like to see the plan that basically creates a moratorium right now on the transfer of lands out of agriculture into other purposes..." he stated. (PJT)