Three associate degree students at Barbados Community College (BCC) have become the first beneficiaries of a newly launched agriculture scholarship that will cover all remaining registration fees for their programs, opening new doors for young talent invested in the island’s agricultural future.
Named the Lion Roy Ward Scholarship, the initiative was developed through a year-long partnership between BCC and the Lions Club of Barbados North, created to honor the club’s founding charter president, the late Elkins Leroy Ward—universally known as Lion Roy—who spent decades advancing Barbados’ agricultural sector. The scholarship was formally awarded during an official presentation ceremony held Wednesday.
The three selected recipients are Delano Lorde, Traude Walton and Joshua Yearwood. Each brought diverse agricultural interests that reflect the modern evolution of the industry: one focuses on dairy farming, another on entomology, and the third on integrating artificial intelligence into agricultural practices.
Dr. Arlyn Linton-Jones, Acting Senior Tutor in BCC’s Division of Natural Sciences, explained that the project filled a longstanding gap for agriculture students at the institution, which had not previously offered a dedicated scholarship for the field. Over 12 months, the college and the Lions Club worked to finalize eligibility criteria, selection processes and funding structures to bring the award to fruition. “We have worked on this scholarship, getting all the requirements in place… where we can officially reward these students,” she noted.
Louis Ifill, chair of the Lions Club of Barbados North Special Projects Committee, said advancing agricultural development and strengthening Barbados’ food security were core motivations for creating the scholarship, a mission directly aligned with Ward’s life’s work. “He was deeply involved in the production of sugar cane, various ground provisions, vegetables and also dairy farming as well,” Ifill shared. Beyond crop production, Ward helped grow the island’s iconic Sea Island cotton industry, was once Barbados’ largest dairy farmer, and counted among the first milk suppliers to the prominent local brand Pine Hill Dairy. He also made his mark in agricultural leadership: he was the first appointed chairman of the Barbados Agricultural Development Company and contributed to a landmark government project that launched the national school meals programme back in 1962. Most importantly, Ifill added, nurturing the next generation of agricultural professionals was one of Ward’s greatest passions.
To earn the award, applicants were required to hold a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and submit a detailed essay outlining their long-term career plans for agriculture in Barbados. Shortlisted candidates then moved forward to personal interviews with the Lions Club selection panel before the three winners were chosen.
Ward’s daughter, Linda Ward-Bowen, called the scholarship a perfect tribute to her father’s lifelong dedication to the sector. She recalled his core belief that still resonates amid ongoing conversations about food sovereignty: “One of the things he used to say all the time was ‘you should grow what you eat and eat what you grow, that way you would never starve.’”
BCC Deputy Principal Samuel Bowen framed the scholarship as more than just immediate financial relief for students; it is a strategic investment in Barbados’ agricultural future. He noted the launch comes at a particularly meaningful moment, as the first cohort of students officially began studies this week at the new Hope Agricultural Training Institute in St Lucy, marking a broader push to expand agricultural education across the island.
Speaking on behalf of the three recipients, Traude Walton expressed gratitude to BCC staff and the Lions Club for recognizing the students’ potential and investing in their education. “Having our registration cost covered throughout the remainder of our associate degree was a major help to us and it will allow us to focus even more on our studies,” he said, adding that all three awardees plan to apply their education to drive growth and innovation in Barbados’ agricultural sector.