(Barbados Nation) A comprehensive review of the Barbados sugar industry has been conducted for the Barbados Government by Landell Mills Ltd, one of the world’s leading international development consulting firms.
Fully funded by the European Union at a cost of BDS$3.4 million, the 18-month study commenced in January 2010 and contains recommendations for improving the productivity and efficiency of the Barbados sugar cane industry. Special focus has been placed on the operations of the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC) Ltd, given its predominance in the industry and its role as a
Government-owned entity. The objective of the institutional review of the sugar industry in Barbados was to facilitate the transition from the traditional sugar industry to a new one that functions more efficiently and which is more profitable than its predecessor.
The recommendations of the team of consultants should provide the groundwork for the institutional restructuring and strengthening of the BAMC and the reorganization of independent and small sugar farmers.
The study was carried out in three phases: investigative and diagnostic; strategy formulation and evaluation; as well as intervention and action planning.
It was subdivided into eight components, which included reviewing the financial, human resource and support services of the BAMC; submission of proposals for the recapitalization of the BAMC; reviewing the operations of the Agricultural Research and Variety Testing Unit; reviewing non-sugar/food crop productivity and efficiency in Barbados; as well as a review of soil and nutrition management of the sugar cane industry in the island.
The final report from the consultants is expected by the end of this month.