BARBADOS is seeking to strengthen the linkages between the agriculture and tourism industries.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Andrew Cox, said yesterday that because the tourism sector was the leading economic sector, it had the potential to act as a catalyst to spur growth in other sectors.

He made the comment while addressing the opening ceremony of a two-day National Agro-Tourism workshop at Accra Beach Hotel.

Cox told the gathering, which consisted of people involved in both agriculture and tourism, that "the linkages between tourism and agriculture will improve the benefits to be gained from both industries and to the Barbados economy as a whole".

However, he cautioned that in order to create and strengthen these linkages, the agricultural industry must produce the highest quality available and must also strive to produce the quantities being demanded
by the tourism industry.

"If the tourism industry does not have confidence in the sector, it will be more likely to import rather than purchase from the local sector," he warned.

But he added that it was fundamental "that we continue to create synergies between both the tourism and agriculture industries".

Cox said the Ministry of Tourism was working with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Inter-American Institute For Co-operation in Agriculture (IICA) and other agricultural partners in trying to strengthen these linkages.

To this end, he said, they had been exploring how
to improve the linkages and have implemented programmes to further the use of agricultural products by the tourism industry.

IICA representative Ena Harvey also spoke
about the linkages that could be derived from the
two sectors through food, heritage, and health and wellness tourism.

She stated that the new tourists wanted more than sun, sea and sand.

"We have to keep in mind that the new tourists want education. They want excitement. They want fun, relaxation and relief from stress, and what better place than in the Caribbean."

She added that the CARICOM Single Market and Economy would afford Barbadians a chance to discover and rediscover the Caribbean.

However, she pointed out that a policy and institutional framework was significant in forming
the agro tourism linkages.

Harvey stated that training and development, licence, incentives and certifications were necessary
for improving the agricultural industry.

She added that IICA was exploring investment funding from a number of sources in order to assist with agricultural development in the Caribbean.

Those in attendance were treated to a small exhibition displaying local arts and craft.