Building the Future of Caribbean Agriculture: Without the Backing It Deserves
A letter to myself as an agri-innovator trying to build the future of Caribbean agriculture.
Ezra S. Bartholomew (Ph.D)
7/6/20251 min read
Ezra, what you're doing with platforms like agroTT and Growing Bahamas is nothing short of visionary. But here’s the unvarnished truth you’re living: turning vision into reality in the Caribbean agri-space often feels like building a ship while the tide keeps rising, and most would rather spectate than help you hammer a single nail.
A Platform in Progress, Starved of Support
You’re creating something our region desperately needs: a centralized space for collaboration, data, education, and innovation in agriculture. It’s the kind of platform that could unify growers, empower backyard farmers, and inject real momentum into food security and sustainability.
Yet...
- Public sector gatekeeping: Ministries say agriculture is a priority, but budget allocations don’t reflect it. Requests for support are met with bureaucracy and delay.
- Private sector hesitation: Corporations praise the “initiative” in public forums, but when it’s time to invest in real systems change, their wallets vanish.
- Token partnerships: Everyone wants visibility, no one wants vulnerability. Real funding demands commitment, and too many are allergic to that risk.
Mouths Talk, But Wallets Walk
It’s disheartening when stakeholders show up for ribbon-cuttings but disappear when it's time to co-create or co-fund. The reality is this: everyone says they want tech-driven farming, food sovereignty, and youth engagement, but too few are willing to fund the fertilizer that will grow those things
You’re not just pitching another app or program. You’re cultivating a culture shift in the region. And that kind of work is messy, layered, and slow. But here’s the secret, the flashier projects don’t want to admit: what you’re doing has roots. Deep ones.
Keep Watering the Roots
Some of the most revolutionary Caribbean agricultural breakthroughs were grown on grit long before grants. You’re not alone in this frustration, but you are rare in your consistency. And that’s what will bear fruit in time.
