There is a definitive and strong correlation between the agricultural industry and the tourism industry that should not be ignored.
That’s the view of Kennedy Pemberton, Consultant – Sustainable Tourism Development with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), who lamented that too many people do not make that connection to the detriment both industries. He made the comments during a press conference held earlier this week at the Dining Club to update the media about the Caribbean Culinary Conference to be held here in Barbados next week.
“This is something that I raised at the CARDI Strategic Consultation maybe about two weeks ago. We have a growing and sizeable food import bill in the Caribbean, and I pointed out to them that they had this particular item listed in their strategic plan as a threat, whereas it really should be considered an opportunity, because what that says is that there is money in agriculture,” he said.
Pemberton noted that billions of dollars are spent annually importing food into the region, but argued such money would best be invested within the region in the agricultural industry. He maintained that if concerted steps could be taken to develop the local agriculture sector and connect it sustainably to the tourism industry, then it would be recognised as a “massive entrepreneurial opportunity” for local farmers.
“Not just in terms of producing the actual raw materials that are used across the tourism value chain, whether it be in the restaurants or the hotels, but also in terms of taking it a step further into agro-processing where we can now infuse and offer across the tourism value chain, items like the jams and the jellies, the processed foods that are locally grown,” he said.
Pemberton further contended that such home-made products and services being integrated into the tourism value chain would not only keep more of the money within each of the countries of the region, but also create much needed employment for locals. (JRT)