Barbados | Govt.'s first ever indoor vertical farming pilot coming online - video Dailymotion

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Barbados implements a new way to grow food on small islands by putting into practice the first ever indoor vertical farming pilot with the objective of reducing the Caribbean island's dependence on imported food and create a new generation of climate resilient farmers. Our correspondent Krystal Hoyte with the details. teleSUR

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00:00And Barbados implements a new way to grow food on small islands by putting into practice the first ever indoor vertical farming pilot.

00:09The objective is to reduce the Caribbean islands' dependence on imported food and also create a new generation of climate resilient farmers.

00:17Our correspondent Crystal Hoyde has the details.

00:20Barbados has taken a major step toward transforming how food is grown on small islands.

00:26The government's first ever indoor vertical farming pilot is finally coming online.

00:32A system designed to boost food security and shield the country from the worsening effects of the climate crisis.

00:39This Dutch-Caribbean partnership is bringing advanced technology straight into Barbados' agricultural sector.

00:45With containerized vertical farms now outfitted for testing, training and research.

00:51Officials say the goal is simple but bold.

00:54Reduce the island's dependence on imported food and create a new generation of climate resilient farmers.

01:02In this growing room, we have the first test of the first indoor vertical farm in the country, in Barbados.

01:10We can control all the parameters.

01:12When you are outside, you have to be contemplating when it's going to come a big storm or when the temperatures are going to reach a peak,

01:22which can make so much stress in the plant that a lot of them die or there are poor conditions for harvest at the end.

01:31Here, we can control all the conditions, but not only environmental conditions, also the pests that come and also the diseases.

01:38She says it's not only climate resilient, but it's more profitable.

01:45Usually, for placing an example, a lettuce can take in outdoors since the beginning till the end, around 60 days is the normal cycle.

01:53It can be some varieties that are shorter, even longer.

01:56But, like, middle term here, for the different varieties that we were practicing, it's around 30 days, as I said to you, even shorter, like 28.

02:07So, this can make, like, 12 cycles a year.

02:12Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in Darwer says when it comes to farming,

02:18Barbados cannot continue to do the same thing and expect different results.

02:24The responsibility falls to us to make sure that we not only provide support for the farmers,

02:32but that we do the transformative work that would allow for us to be able to bring into the country

02:41the type of farming facilities to the next level where we can produce a lot of the crops

02:47that are most vulnerable to climate in those growing systems.

02:51Reporting for Telesur, Crystal Hoyt, Barbados.

Barbados | Govt.'s first ever indoor vertical farming pilot coming online

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