Sarah Gardner, Associate Director, CES & Lecturer in Environmental Studies
When you visit a tropical island you expect to eat fruit plucked right from the tree, fresh vegetables, and a fish caught off the dock. But in Eleuthera, you are more likely to be offered a grainy apple from Washington State, wilted broccoli from Florida that’s sat on a loading dock too long, and frozen codfish. Once the breadbasket of the Bahamas, the Island now imports over 90% of its food and the local economy is suffering. Continuing my research on how to boost farming and the local food system in Eleuthera, I led my ninth winter study class there this January.
Working with One Eleuthera, a community development organization, the students and I interviewed farmers, fishermen, stores, restaurants and resorts in an effort to develop direct connections between growers and purchasers. If farmers can sell their produce on the island, they would earn more money for their products, the local economy would get a boost, and everyone would have more access to fresh affordable food. For more information about the class and photographs view the blog at: http://sustaineleuthera.blogspot.com/
The class also made a short film about the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=42&v=xrDzboqU7JQ
And the Powerpoint presentation is here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Bfy33Bc1C2DTvWTrWSB_D0C7-UPJvxG8SQyLaH4YFDg/edit?usp=sharing
The final report, “Fulfilling Eleuthera’s Promise: An Agricultural Cooperative for South Eleuthera,” is available here: http://ces.williams.edu/publications/
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