Romario Greaves has always had a love for farming. While pursuing the Agriculture CXC, he enrolled in the Youth Farm programme where he was able to delve deeper into the sector and learn more about what it takes to be a successful farmer. Upon completion, he continued his agricultural education at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, gaining diplomas in both crops and livestock.
After graduating from SJPI, Romario bought a pig and began his journey into farming. Eventually, he was able to purchase and breed more pigs and today, he has over 70. He also raises goats, sheep, ducks, chickens – both boilers and layers.
His days on the farm begin around 4:30 a.m. and his routine starts with him washing down the animals’ pens and supplying them with clean water, fresh feed or hay, and new litter. He admits that raising livestock is hard work; however, he jokes, he prefers it to growing crops because he “gets to avoid the sun”.
He credits the Youth Farm programme with teaching him several techniques that he employs on his farm daily. “During the practicals at Greenland, I learned a lot about how to worm the animals, clip their hooves, tag them, and keep good records.” The latter, he says, became even more useful when he began selling. Currently, he supplies meat to his neighbours, consumers who reach out to him via the Barbados Agricultural Society, and vendors at Cheapside Market.