Romario Cumberbatch

Romario Cumberbatch’s love of farming began during his childhood when he would watch his father tend to the family’s farm. That passion blossomed in secondary school during his time studying agriculture for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate. Joining the Youth Farm was a fitting continuation of an educational journey of farming that had been decades in the making.

Romario says that the Youth Farm programme was a refresher of the knowledge he gained while helping his father and at school. He is proud to note that he uses much of the information that was shared during the programme in his daily routine on the farm, particularly the non-conventional ways to getting rid of insects and bugs – sticky traps, pitfall traps, etc. – instead of pesticides or other chemical interventions.

On his farm, he follows a crop rotation cycle. This, he says, helps to ensure that he gets the best out of the soil. Currently, he grows cabbage, flavour peppers, cassava, sweet potatoes, watermelon, and sweet peppers. He sells his produce to neighbours, his parents’ colleagues, vendors, and a bakery, where they use his cassavas to make flour.

For Romario, the best thing about farming is the reward of “seeing something grow from a seed to food.” He admits, though, that being able to make money from farming is a close second.

Romario plans to expand the farm by purchasing or leasing more land to grow his crops. He also intends to farm mushrooms and begin using aquaponics.