IT WOULD BE impossible for Barbados to return to agriculture as its main money earner.

"There just isn't the land space," says UNICEF representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Tom Olsen.

He was speaking at a breakfast media event yesterday entitled: A Present And Future Caribbean Fit For Children, the first in a possible series to improve dialogue with media on children's rights and to highlight children's rights, achievements and challenges.

"I would like to see Barbados develop another leg to stand on apart from the service industry, by having an economically viable agricultural sector without heavy subsidies. The problem is Barbados does not have the land space," he said, adding it would take around 20 to 30 acres of land per person for this to happen.

Olsen identified hastening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy and investing heavily in countries with the space for agriculture as long-term solutions but added the challenge for Government was how to keep inflation low.

He said that agriculture was a heavily subsidised industry worldwide and the issue was greater than farming and land but also encompassed elements such as communication and transportation.

Olsen said the Food and Agriculture Organisation was currently working with Caribbean governments to see how food production could be increased. (CA)