A Nigerian delegation including a Yoruba royal and one of Africa’s leading agripreneurs met with senior Bahamian officials recently, pitching a bilateral partnership that could reshape how The Bahamas approaches food security and agricultural tourism.Her Royal Highness Princess Moradeun Adedoyin-Solarin and Dr Moji Davids, Co-Founder and Group Managing Director of Xtralarge Farms and Resorts, held courtesy calls with Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources the Hon Jomo Campbell and Senate President Senator Hon J LaShell Adderley – signalling Nigeria’s formal interest in building economic ties with Nassau across agriculture and agritourism.The courtesy calls were organised by the CEO Network, founded in 1997 by veteran broadcaster and journalist Dr Deborah Bartlett. For nearly three decades, the organisation – whose motto is “Empowering Professionals through Knowledge and Opportunities” – has served as a bridge between The Bahamas and the world, convening heads of state, business leaders, and international influencers on Bahamian soil and creating pathways for collaboration that extend well beyond the conference room.
The engagement comes as The Bahamas records its strongest agricultural performance in over three decades. World Bank statistics show the sector posted 26.3 percent revenue growth over the past two years – a figure Minister Campbell has cited as evidence that the industry is shedding its long-standing reputation as a sector of last resort.The delegation itself arrived with a pointed reminder of how far the nation still has to go. Dr Davids, whose research into Bahamian agricultural history informed the delegation’s pitch, noted that The Bahamas was once a contributor to the regional food supply – a role that has all but disappeared. The country now carries a significant food import bill, a vulnerability the COVID-19 pandemic threw into sharp relief.
Minister Campbell has been direct about the lesson learned. The Bahamas cannot afford to rely on others for its food. His ministry has committed to science-based, data-driven development of the sector, and has made the inclusion of women in agriculture a formal priority tied to the government’s Sustainable Development Goals obligations.Nigeria’s offer is both a model and a partnership. Xtralarge Farms operates across 14 locations in Nigeria with offices in Lagos and Abuja, and an international presence in the UK, Dubai, the United States, Europe, and Canada. The company markets 21 branded products, pioneered digital technology farming in Nigeria in 2016, and has built a community of approximately 200,000 members.
It is currently developing what it describes as Africa’s first Foodspital – a facility that uses food as medicine – and operates the largest luxury farm resort in Nigeria, its signature agritourism venture.As a Yoruba princess, HRH Adedoyin-Solarin brought diplomatic standing to the meetings that extended beyond the boardroom. She conveyed that Nigeria is not simply watching – stakeholders at home are already waiting on the outcome of these discussions and prepared to move should The Bahamas signal its readiness to collaborate.The awareness and enthusiasm for locally grown produce is there, Minister Campbell has acknowledged. What the sector now requires is the structure, the science, and the right partnerships to turn momentum into lasting industry.
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