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Sunday 8 September 2013

Raynard Burnside: Siphiwe Honey Gold Farm and Reserve


'Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.' ( Benjamin Disrael) 
  
    Nothing ever said could have been truer about this 'AgriFootsoldier' and that alone gives me great pleasure to introduce Mr. Raynard Burnside of the Bahamas. 
   
  After graduating beautifully adorned from the University of the West Indies with a BSc in Agribusiness Management and a MSc in Tropical Animal Science and Production one would have expected that on return to his homeland Raynard would have been pursued by employers, however it was the contrary. With a recession hanging over his country and high unemployment figures Raynard journeyed to Costa Rica where he completed a one month Professional development Scholarship programme course titled “Hunger, Famine and Food Security at United Nations University for Peace. Every interview that this young man lined up for he was overly-qualified or inexperienced. 

    With a burning desire to move up in life, he felt as if his life had been placed on hold for another year. He wanted to get married and move out of his maternal home, but the brother was broke. He knew that behind every successful man there is a woman and whether it is considered sheer luck or a stroke of ingenuity Raynard, the mover he is, proposed to and married his girlfriend. He now had the woman, so the successes we bound to follow! He entered an international business plan competition, where he presented an innovative agricultural business plan and emerged winner in his category.

  
    Siphiwe Honey Gold Farm and Preserve is an agro-ecotourism destination situated in the southern region of The Bahamas, located on the eastern region of Rum Cay Island that occupies twelve acres of undisturbed family-owned land. It is the only green certified agro-ecotourism business in The Bahamas, which is entirely a solar powered efficient farm and preserve. The business offers an environmental education learning resource center acting as a major public access facility for Bahamians and tourists to learn and experience organic farming, beekeeping and crop production with the facility of on-farm stays with 4 environmentally-friendly agro-eco lodges. Additionally, the farm and preserve has outreach programmes and activities that is designed to make learning interactive and fun, covering Bahamian biodiversity, cultural and natural history of the flora and fauna on the island.


    As we commend the sterling efforts made by this footsoldier,we wish him all the best in his endeavours as he does his part in acheiving food security and share his story over a cup of Bayleaf tea! 



(Photo courtesy google)

6 comments:

  1. Thank you! For selecting me as the first official AgriFootSoldier!!

    Awesome blog!

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  2. Congratulations Raynard. Wishing you success. I wish you all the best and hope to join in a similar project on my island.

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    Replies
    1. Much Thanks!

      I look forward to hearing more about the project on your island.

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  3. Ray! Hard work does pay off! Congrats.....

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