分类： education

In a strategic push to weave agricultural education deeper into the national K-12 system, Barbados’ Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education have announced a joint expansion of the country’s school greenhouse program, with 13 new facilities set to launch at the start of the upcoming academic year. Unlike past iterations of the initiative that relied on external experts to complete construction before bringing students in, the new model centers student participation from the earliest planning and building phases, Agriculture Minister Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight confirmed during a Friday press briefing marking the close of a month-long national agricultural summer camp that hosted more than 20 student participants.

Dr. Munro-Knight explained that the hands-on reworking of the program is designed to give students a far more comprehensive understanding of modern agriculture than traditional planting-focused lessons. “Previously, our specialists would handle all construction from start to finish. But Minister [of Education] Blackman and I agreed that this approach misses critical learning opportunities,” she told outlet Barbados TODAY. “Agriculture isn’t just about sowing seeds and harvesting crops. It involves architectural design, climate science, and technological innovation too, and we want students to experience all of that.”

Beyond basic cultivation skills, students will gain practical knowledge in greenhouse structural design, the effects of weather and heat exposure on crop growth and infrastructure, modern agricultural technology, and sustainable growing practices. For example, students will learn firsthand how to adjust growing bed heights to manage heat and moisture levels, rather than just memorizing the concept in a textbook.

To complement the practical learning, the government also plans to introduce a cooperative business framework for school agricultural programs, giving students firsthand experience in agribusiness and food systems economics. Under the proposed model, the Ministry of Agriculture will sign a formal off-take agreement to purchase quality produce grown by students, with all revenue generated returning to the participating schools to fund further agricultural programming or other school initiatives. “This structure lets students see the full commercial side of agriculture,” Dr. Munro-Knight said. “They learn that sustainable agriculture isn’t just growing food—it’s building a viable business too.”

The long-term vision of the partnership extends far beyond adding new greenhouses. To embed agriculture permanently into the national education system, the two ministries are currently developing a complete formal agricultural curriculum for all school levels, a project that will be rolled out incrementally. Additional specialized training for participating teachers is also a core part of the initiative, as the government works to address existing capacity gaps. “We’ve tasked teams from both ministries to map out the full curriculum framework,” Dr. Munro-Knight said. “This is a long-term goal. We’re starting with the greenhouses and initial teacher training, and we’ll build steadily toward a full integrated curriculum over time.”

The agriculture minister noted that demand for school greenhouse projects has grown steadily in recent years, with a number of local schools such as Springer Memorial already running consistent, successful agricultural programs on their own. Teacher training remains one of the most significant barriers to faster nationwide expansion, so the program will prioritize schools that already have established farming initiatives, enthusiastic leadership, and the capacity to scale up their work in the first phase. “We’re starting with the schools that are ready, that have teachers willing to lean in, and that already have momentum around agricultural learning,” Dr. Munro-Knight said. “Once we refine the model there, we’ll expand to the next stage.”

A four-week youth disaster preparedness training programme in Barbados wrapped up Friday with a hands-on, student-organized simulation exercise that put young participants’ emergency response skills to the test. Dubbed Operation Savannah Shield, the capstone activity was fully planned and led by interns with the country’s Department of Emergency Management (DEM) for participants of the Safe Coast BIM Youth Disaster and Emergency Preparedness summer camp, designed to equip teens with life-saving disaster response skills. The exercise was structured around five rotating skill stations, each targeting a core competency campers learned over the month-long programme. Participants demonstrated proficiency in clear radio communication, basic fire safety protocols, hazard identification in high-risk environments, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), general first aid, and the assembly of a well-stocked emergency go-bag. Speaking on behalf of the intern organizing team, co-lead Shakenya Jones explained the simulation was built specifically to reinforce the theoretical and practical lessons campers absorbed over the course of the programme. “We were tasked with developing a concluding exercise that tied all our learning together, so we built five stations that each focused on the key skills covered throughout the camp,” Jones said. She added that participants engaged enthusiastically with all activities, with the radio communication station emerging as a clear participant favorite. Fellow co-lead and DEM intern Edwin Workman noted the simulation was intentionally designed to mirror real-world emergency scenarios, with a core focus on building collaborative problem-solving and independent critical thinking. “We split participants into small teams, assigned every member a unique radio call sign, and tested their understanding of proper radio etiquette, observational skills, hazard assessment, and casualty response protocols,” Workman explained. “We intentionally only provided the base context and let participants lead their own responses because we wanted them to build confidence in their own skills—one day, they may need to act when more experienced responders aren’t immediately available.” Workman praised the performance of all 12 to 16-year-old campers, noting that while some teams required minor guidance to work through challenges, the overall level of engagement and teamwork exceeded expectations. “Some teams went far beyond the baseline requirements we set, and even groups that needed a little extra direction showed huge improvement over the exercise,” he said. “Overall, campers collaborated effectively, and the student team leaders stepped into their roles admirably.” Ashley Lashley, executive director of the Ashley Lashley Foundation, which partners on the Safe Coast BIM programme, emphasized that the simulation served as the critical practical capstone to a programme focused on closing a gap in youth disaster education in Barbados. The island nation is highly vulnerable to a range of climate-driven disasters, including seasonal hurricanes, widespread flooding, and chronic coastal erosion, making widespread public disaster preparedness a national priority. “Today’s exercise let students put into practice everything they learned over the past four weeks, replicating the exact work that national emergency agencies carry out when disasters threaten our country,” Lashley explained. She noted that while many young Barbadians understand the broader concepts of climate change and its local impacts, most lack concrete, hands-on knowledge of how to respond before, during, and after an emergency. “Young people are aware that climate change is affecting us, but many have never learned the practical steps they can take to keep themselves and their communities safe,” Lashley said. “That’s what makes programmes like Safe Coast so critical. They don’t just teach theory—they give young people the skills to act, and help them understand how disasters shape livelihoods and community well-being across the island.”

Barbados has marked the successful completion of its first-ever Hearts and Minds agricultural summer camp, a Ministry of Agriculture initiative that brought hands-on farming education to more than 20 primary and secondary school students, with organizers already planning to expand the program in 2025 to cultivate a new generation of agricultural leaders.

Running for four weeks through July, the immersive camp introduced participating students to core pillars of modern agriculture: sustainable soil management, ethical animal husbandry, end-to-end food production, agribusiness fundamentals, and agriculture as a viable, rewarding long-term career. At the closing ceremony, Barbados Minister of Agriculture Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight emphasized that boosting domestic food output cannot deliver national food security on its own unless the population rebuilds a meaningful, personal connection to farming and food production.

The program was designed from the ground up to help young people recognize the central role domestic agriculture plays in supporting their families and local communities, Dr. Munro-Knight explained. “Agriculture is for us. It is not grown exclusively to feed tourists or export markets – it is first to feed our own families, our own communities, the Barbadian people who rely on it every day,” she said.

Dr. Munro-Knight urged Barbadians to preserve the longstanding tradition of backyard gardening, a practice she framed as critical to advancing the country’s food security goals. “There are foundational cultural practices that support our national development that we must hold onto, and the ability to feed ourselves is at the top of that list,” she noted. “Being able to step out into your backyard and harvest fresh spinach, pick peas from a vine, or pluck fruit from an overhanging tree – those small, everyday acts are far more important than many people realize.”

These local food production skills become even more critical during global crises that disrupt international supply chains, she added, pointing to ongoing geopolitical conflicts that have strained global food distribution in recent years. “When war disrupts global trade and we can’t rely on imported food, these are the skills that will keep our people from going hungry,” Dr. Munro-Knight said. “They also protect the livelihoods of our existing farming community, because when we prioritize buying and growing local, we sustain the work they have invested in for generations.”

Camp director David Davis said that after four weeks working alongside the participating students, he left the program with full confidence in Barbados’ agricultural future. “I spent the last month with these young people, and I saw brilliant, curious minds hard at work every single day,” Davis shared. “I was nervous about how the inaugural program would go before we started, but meeting these students put all my worries to rest. I know the future of agriculture in Barbados is in good hands.”

Davis stressed that the country must prioritize youth engagement in agriculture to secure long-term food sovereignty, comparing the young participants to seeds that require intentional nurturing to grow. “We must put agriculture at the top of our national priority list, and all of us have a role to play in supporting these bright young people,” he said. “We planted the seed of interest in agriculture through this camp, and now we have to keep pushing, keep nurturing that interest so they can grow into the innovative agricultural leaders our country needs.”

Assistant camp director Keisha Weekes echoed Davis’ optimism, praising participants for their relentless curiosity and wholehearted engagement with every program activity. “Over the past four weeks, we watched these young minds jump at every opportunity to learn,” Weekes said. “Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and eagerness to explore the four core pillars of our program have been truly inspiring. They asked thoughtful, incisive questions, threw themselves into every hands-on activity, and reminded all of us that when young people get the chance to explore agriculture, the future of the sector is bright.”

Weekes added that the camp not only taught students tangible new skills but also helped them build a lasting appreciation for agriculture’s role in everyday Barbadian life. “It has been wonderful to watch confidence grow, friendships form, and knowledge expand over the course of this program,” she said. “I hope every student leaves here today not just with new practical skills, but with a deeper understanding of how vital agriculture is to every part of our nation.”

Camp counsellor Tawana Russell outlined the program’s core curriculum, which was structured around four key pillars: soil health, livestock care, the seed-to-table supply chain, and agribusiness. “Together we walked through each of these four areas, and along the way we watched our campers grow more confident, collaborate effectively, and develop a genuine respect for the work of farming,” Russell said.

By the end of the program, students left with a far more nuanced understanding of farming than they had when they arrived, Russell noted. “They learned that healthy soil is far more than just dirt, that raising livestock requires patience and consistent responsibility, and that food doesn’t just magically appear on supermarket shelves – it’s the product of hard work along the entire supply chain,” she explained. “Most importantly, they learned that agriculture is not just a traditional way of life – it is also a dynamic career, a viable business, and an essential foundation for our nation’s future.”

For 16-year-old camper Jamira Waithe, the hands-on learning opportunities were the highlight of the entire program. “We got to see first-hand how chickens are raised and processed before they ever reach supermarket shelves,” Waithe shared. “We went on farm tours, we had so much fun learning together, and the best part was building our own grow boxes as a group. We got to prepare the soil and plant our own seedlings – that experience stuck with me. This is honestly the best camp I’ve ever attended.”

Fellow camper Zion Griffith said the program completely reshaped his understanding of what agriculture entails. “Before I came to this camp, I thought agriculture was just planting crops and taking care of animals – that was it,” Griffith said. “I quickly learned it’s so much more than that. Agriculture is a vital part of all our lives because it gives us the food we eat every day, and it supports the livelihoods of so many people across our country.”

Griffith added that he also gained valuable insight into sustainable farming and its role in protecting the environment. “I learned so many useful skills: we got to plant crops, care for growing plants, study different farming methods, and I really understood how important sustainable practices are to protecting our natural resources while growing food,” he said.

With the success of the first cohort, organizers are already preparing to expand the program next year, hoping to reach more young people and build a pipeline of new talent to support Barbados’ goal of greater food sovereignty.