The global conversation on food security and economic sustainability took a transformative turn in 2026 as stakeholders from Nigeria, The Bahamas and other countries converged at the World Agritourism Festival, where agritourism was projected as the next frontier for food independence, wealth creation and cultural diplomacy.
At the heart of the discourse was a strong call for nations to rethink agriculture beyond traditional food production and reposition it as a powerful intersection of tourism, culture, hospitality and innovation.
The Group Managing Director of Xtralarge Farms and Resorts, Dr Moji Davids, who emerged as one of the leading voices at the summit themed “Agritourism Without Borders: Connecting Food, Culture and Global Prosperity,” urged governments and investors to urgently embrace agritourism as a strategic pathway to economic resilience.
According to her, the world can no longer afford to treat agriculture as a stand-alone sector in an era defined by global shocks, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions.
“The time has come for us to create value from our agricultural resources. The time has come for us to build globally competitive agritourism enterprises. The time has come for us to own more of the global human value chain,” she said.
Davids warned that no nation could genuinely claim sovereignty if it remained dependent on external systems for food supply, stressing that recent global crises had exposed deep vulnerabilities in food systems worldwide.
“As we can see what is happening presently on the Strait of Hormuz, every nation must understand what it means to be truly independent. You cannot claim to be a sovereign nation when you are dependent on others for food,” she said.
She further referenced the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point that revealed the fragility of global food supply chains, urging countries to invest more aggressively in local production systems.
“Look at what happened during the era of COVID-19 and how many nations suffered when food shortages emerged. Let everybody take our destiny into our own hands,” she added.
The festival also featured compelling insights from Dr Jason Sands, who shared The Bahamas’ agritourism experience, describing it as a practical model of how agriculture and tourism can be successfully integrated to strengthen food systems and stimulate rural economies.
Sands explained that rising tourism numbers in The Bahamas have created unprecedented demand for locally sourced food, thereby opening new markets for farmers and agribusiness operators.
“Agritourism is a form of commercial enterprise linking agricultural production with tourism,” he said.
He noted that initiatives such as Chasing Butterflies on Andros, Down Too Earth Adventure Farm in Nassau, and the Gladstone Road Farmers Market have successfully redefined how visitors interact with food systems through farm-to-table experiences, guided tours and direct farmer engagement.
According to him, tourists are increasingly seeking authentic agricultural experiences, including harvesting activities such as picking coconuts, mangoes and plums, as well as participating in local food production processes.
However, Sands acknowledged persistent structural challenges, including heavy reliance on food imports, climate vulnerability and high transportation costs across island communities.
“High reliance on food imports makes the sector vulnerable to global supply disruptions,” he said.
Despite these constraints, he expressed optimism about innovation-driven solutions such as hydroponics and vertical farming, which are gradually reshaping agricultural productivity in small island states.
In Nigeria, Dr Davids said agritourism is already evolving into a multidimensional ecosystem that connects agriculture with hospitality, education, wellness, investment and community development.
She noted that what began as a niche idea has now expanded into a global movement involving partnerships across government institutions, including the Presidency, Lagos State Government and ministries of agriculture and culture, as well as diaspora stakeholders.
“Many years ago, when Xtralarge became a champion of agritourism in Nigeria, few people understood what we were trying to do. Many saw agriculture and tourism as separate industries. But we saw a future where agriculture would not merely feed people but inspire people,” she said.
Davids said that vision has since gained international traction, with collaborations extending to stakeholders in The Bahamas, United Kingdom, Ghana, Canada and the United States.
She further highlighted the economic potential of agritourism, noting that integrating tourism into agriculture unlocks opportunities across more than 90 sectors of the economy.
“With the addition of tourism to agriculture, we now have over 90 different sectors coming into play, making agriculture more sustainable and prosperous,” she said.
She also revealed investment opportunities within Xtralarge Farms and Resorts, including palm plantation ownership schemes designed to create long-term, generational wealth for families.
“That is prosperity. That is wealth creation. That is transgenerational inclusion,” she said.
Looking ahead, Davids announced that the physical edition of the World Agritourism Festival will be hosted in Nigeria on June 12, 2026, describing it as a historic convergence point for global stakeholders committed to reshaping agriculture and tourism.
She called for sustained collaboration among nations, investors and communities, insisting that agritourism holds the key to preserving culture, strengthening food systems and driving inclusive economic growth.
“Let this summit be remembered as a call to nations, a call to preserve cultures, a call to create prosperity and a call to unite the world through agritourism,” she said.
