In a bid to modernise agriculture and strengthen food security, the government is investing over $200 000 in state-of-the-art vertical farming systems.The first set of units, including three large commercial farms and three compact farms, is expected to arrive in May and become operational by June.Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir confirmed the initiative on Tuesday, telling Barbados TODAY that the adoption of vertical farming represents a major step toward increasing local food production and reducing reliance on imports.“We are bringing in these systems as part of a broader strategy to use technology to enhance food security,” Weir said. “With vertical farming, we can grow high-quality produce year-round, minimising the impact of adverse climatic conditions and ensuring greater consistency in supply.”With Barbados facing mounting challenges from climate change, including prolonged droughts and unpredictable weather patterns, the government sees vertical farming as a key pillar in the country’s transition to climate-smart agriculture. The technology-driven approach enables crops to be grown in controlled environments, reducing water consumption and safeguarding yields from extreme weather events.Weir pointed out that vertical farming also helps address long-standing issues in traditional farming, such as praedial larceny and damage caused by monkeys.“These systems will allow us to produce food faster, with less climate risk, and in environments that are protected from monkeys,” he said.
