It’s not just the impact that the sugar industry has on the island’s economy and social infrastructure that is so important, there are significant environmental and cultural benefits as well.
Sugar cane is one of the few ways to protect the island’s rural beauty. In some places the layer of soil is so thin that it hardly covers the underlying coral. However, when sugar cane is harvested the leaves are left in the fields to act as a mulch that protects the soil from erosion. According to The University of The West Indies, “The sugar cane landscape in Barbados provides the island with a range of highly advantageous ecosystem services including soil conservation, flood water regulation and scenic amenity.”
And that’s not all. Like us, visitors love Barbados. One of the reasons they come here is the island’s outstanding natural beauty, much of which is preserved as a result of sugar farming. The cane preserves the island’s lush greenery and provides a backdrop to the picturesque plantation houses that are so attractive.
Yes, we truly believe that we are good for Barbados. As well as making a positive and sustainable impact on the local economy, the sugar we produce and way we produce it will help to protect the island’s ecosystem for generations to come.