Four Contributions for Farming in the Bahamas

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Farming helps the economy in a recession by providing jobs, providing food , helps with foreign exchange due to exports and helps a country to become self sustainng. -- Necessitated import of some 80% of the islands' food supply. Among steps the government has taken to expand and improve agriculture is the reserving of 182,000 hectares (450,000 acres) exclusively for farming, 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) of which were converted to fruit farming. Export-oriented orange, grapefruit, and cucumber production in Abaco grew as export demand expanded. However, on Eleuthera, most agricultural and fishing infrastructure was seriously damaged by Hurricane Andrew. Agricultural products in 1999 included 45,000 tons of sugar cane, 14,000 tons of grapefruit, and 22,000 tons of vegetable -- The Bahamian economy is almost entirely dependent on tourism and financial services to generate foreign exchange earnings. Tourism alone provides an estimated 60% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and employs about half the Bahamian work force. In 2000, over 4 million tourists visited The Bahamas, 83% of them from the United States. A major contribution to the recent growth in the overall Bahamian economy is Sun International's Atlantis Resort and Casino, which took over the former Paradise Island Resort and has provided a much needed boost to the economy. In addition, the opening of Breezes Super Club and Sandals Resort also aided this turnaround. The Bahamian Government also has adopted a proactive approach to courting foreign investors and has conducted major investment missions to the Far East, Europe, Latin America, and Canada. The primary purpose of the trips was to restore the reputation of The Bahamas in these markets. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for up to 15% of GDP, due to the country's status as a tax

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