Those who have been in the Cayman Islands for the last few decades hearkened back to humbler beginnings during Wednesday’s 43^rd annual Agricultural Show.

The event, perhaps the most popular and most locally-based annual festival on Grand Cayman, has certainly come a long way.

“I can recall when the Agriculture Show was held behind the public library,” Cabinet Secretary Orrett Connor said during his welcoming speech to the crowd of dignitaries gathered at the agriculture market site in Lower Valley. “Each year, we see the crowds getting larger and larger; we see more and more exhibits.”

“We see more Caymanians becoming involved in farming and other forms of agriculture, and that can only be a positive thing.”

The annual festival is a chance for farmers to show off their wares to an audience of thousands. Dozens of locally grown plants, trees and herbs – as well as fresh fruits and vegetables are on sale. Locally raised livestock are also on display and awarded prizes at the end of Agriculture Week – the week – in the Cayman Islands.

Agriculture Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly told the audience at the fairgrounds that recent economic hard times in Cayman, and the ensuing government budget problems, have placed a spotlight on how important it is for the country to become as self-sufficient as possible.

“In 2008, Cayman imported some $50 million worth – and that’s Cayman Islands dollars – of food,” Mrs. O’Connor-Connolly said. “$32 million which was paid was for foodstuffs that we can and we should be producing locally.”

Mrs. O’Connor-Connolly said government appreciated the fact that Cayman might never be self sustaining. The largest island in Cayman’s three island group is only 76 square miles – much of it already developed.

“But we must make the idea of eating what we grow and growing what we eat a reality rather than just a slogan,” she said.

The agriculture minister said that government would look at establishing a national food and nutrition security policy with an eye toward monitoring local food production and assisting local farmers.

“This will allow us to set critical production targets and establish a direction and framework…to enhance production and output in the agricultural sector,” she said.

Mrs. O’Connor-Connolly said she recently went on a tour of 14 Grand Cayman farms and noted that those operations are employing many sophisticated food production measures aimed at reducing energy costs and growing organic foods.

“There is a conscious move to be more sustainable in their production methods,” she said of the local farms.

The 43^rd annual Agriculture Show was also the first show attended by new Cayman Islands Governor Duncan Taylor, who performed the ceremonial bell ringing to officially “open” the grounds for business.

“I’m a big fan of local produce,” Mr. Taylor told the crowd, promising to do what he could to support the weekly market at the grounds which is held on Saturdays in Lower Valley. “Local produce beats imported produce every time.”

“I’m very happy to give a commitment that in the many events we’ll be hosting at government house in our time here…I give a commitment that wherever we can, we will use local produce ahead of any imported produce for all of those events.”