Bds $255 500 injected into BAS

A new project has been launched in Barbados to transform the Greenland Livestock Research Station into a World Class Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Breeding and Nutrition Centre.

The Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with the New Zealand High Commission to Barbados and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management launched a Project entitled “Transforming the Greenland Livestock Research Station (GLRS) into a World Class Breeding and Nutrition Centre for Barbados Blackbelly Sheep (BBS)”. According to Jan Henderson, New Zealand High Commissioner to Barbados while speaking at the Project Launch held at the residence of the New Zealand High Commission in Sugar Hill, St. James, she highlighted, “The New Zealand High Commission is delighted to be partnering with the Barbados Government and with IICA: the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture: on an initiative to invest in the livestock sector in Barbados. This Project aims to transform the Barbados Greenland Livestock Research Station into a modern world-class breeding and nutrition centre for Barbados black belly sheep.”

Charleston Lucas, Deputy Chief Agriculture Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture expressed his thanks on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource management. He extended his gratitude to the Ambassador and the Government of New Zealand for acknowledging the work done at breeding over the years and who have worked assiduously to reach this financial contribution.

Lucas believes that this injection will help to further the development of the black belly sheep in Barbados.

The BDS$255 500 project will be funded by the government of New Zealand with a completion date of June 27, 2019.

Its overall objective is to upgrade the GLRS into a world-class Barbados Black belly Sheep Breeding and Nutrition Centre. The main aim of the project is to retrofit an existing building at GLRS to become an Insemination Unit for the purpose of insemination and the collection and storage of semen.

In addition, install a feed processing plant (including hammer mill, chipper and pelletiser) for the production of local feed rations and storage of prepared stocks and train BBS farmers and technicians in best practices of BBS breeding and nutrition, including a study tour of GLRS personnel in New Zealand.

At the end of the two-year project it is expected that a Breeding Unit equipped for the practice of Artificial Insemination will be in operation, as well as a Feed Processing Plant and Nutrition Laboratory.

A minimum of 20 small ruminant farmers and technicians from the Caribbean are expected to be trained in BBS Breeding and Nutrition Best Practices. Technicians from the GLRS will also attend a study tour in New Zealand to further enhance their skills and a training manual on Best Practices for BBS Breeding and Nutrition Management will be developed.

Finally, to ensure transparency, a Technical and Financial Project Report will be prepared at the end of the period. This will all be done to further develop the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Industry and enhance the food security of Barbados. (NB)