Meet Robert Harding: African Americans in Agriculture Spotlight Series

From outer space to the urban space, meet Robert Harding!

So Robert, tell us about your introduction to Agriculture and what Agriculture means to you.

I was doing contract research for NASA and got exposed to experimental methods for food in space. I took this to my high school science students and got an epic response. This led to projects on a grand scale- after school programs, an aquaponics club, and finally my company- and business is booming! I don't know where it will end up but it's no end in sight.

Agriculture is at the core of civilization. In fact, without agriculture, there would be no civilization.  It is the greatest innovation in history of mankind.  It allowed us to become civilized.  

Wow! What an intriguing agricultural introduction. Tell us more about your agricultural profession.

We consult, manage projects, design, build and operate and design urban farming systems.  We are also involved in medical cannabis and hemp as consultants.  We create innovative solutions for high density cultivation.

Urban farming must become an integral part of our system of agriculture.  RST Bioscience has designed a regional food system we call the Agri-Web that integrates rural and urban agriculture.  The system is based on a farming technology that captures atmospheric (carbon negative).   Using our methods will rapidly see the reversal of carbon flow, returning carbon from the atmosphere back into biomass. There are approximately 513 million small and medium sized family farms on the planet. If they all embraced our farming technology, the entire human race would have a negative carbon footprint of 40 gigatons a year.  This is the single fastest route to climate remediation.

Very enlightening! So tell us, what is it like being an African American in Agriculture in today’s society?

Black people have been actively pushed out of agriculture for much of the last 100 years.  The methods to suppress blacks in all lines of business is part of the American landscape.  Agriculture is no different.  Methods change but the goal is the same.  Here lately, there is tremendous opportunity in hemp and marijuana.  The latest method to separate us from opportunity is creating policies and procedures that put a license out of reach for most blacks.   It is ironic that the decedents kidnapped Africans, dragged here to slave in agriculture, are being excluded from the greatest agricultural opportunity since cotton.

How do you think the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the agricultural industry?

It has been an awakening.  The convergence of climate change, a pandemic and the reintroduction of cannabis into the American economy have converged to disrupt the agriculture supply chain.  Lack of migrant labor, closed restaraunts, social distancing, devastating weather events have all converged to expose disturbing weaknesses in our food system.  These disruptions also create great opportunity.  There is no better time than now to become a farmer.

Indeed! What words of advice would you share with someone interested in pursuing an agricultural career or operation?

Agriculture is coming back as a mixed blue/white collar industry. It is being reinvented out of necessity and we have an opportunity to help shape its future.

We must leverage all political capital, and apply pressure wherever possible. We put the current administration in office and now they need to stand up for us. A closed mouth will never get fed.  We must speak up and demand a seat at the table.   When the federal laws for hemp and marijuana are created, it must be done in a way that makes these opportunities accessible to blacks.

Do you provide any agricultural services? If so, what are they and how can others learn more?

Yes.  We are an agriculture consulting firm.  We specialize in Urban farm design, project management, Agriculture education, and innovation.  You can find out more at: rsustainabletech.com and Texasehw.com

Are there any other words you would like to share?

People are fond of saying “the truth will set you free”.  The truth is, “you can never be free as long as someone else controls the production and distribution of your food.   Agriculture created generational wealth for many American families on the backs of kidnapped Africans.  It is only fair that the families of those kidnapped Africans inherit agriculture as a vehicle to lift themselves out of poverty.

Thank you for sharing with us.

Robert Harding Agricultural Consultant RST Bioscience
Houston, TX Phone: 832-379-8730, Emails: info@rsustainabletec.com ; rstbioscience@gmail.com Websites: rsustainabletech.com Texasehw.com