Back to Agriculture
Charting The Way Forward
Private
sector to invest in farming
To a large extent, I agree
with the call by Mikael Barford, Head
of the EU delegation to the Eastern Caribbean Countries for the private
sector to assume a larger role in guiding and investing in the farming industry
since public funding alone would not meet the demands of expanding markets in
the agri-food sector.
Barton claimed that
private sector investment would eradicate huger, increase food security, revive
the rural economy and create jobs for the youth.
Barton claimed that private sector investment would eradicate huger, increase food security, revive the rural economy and create jobs for the youth.
“We have in the
Ministry the option of using CEPEP and URP and those are going to be explored” (Agriculture
Minister Clarence Rambharat)
Back
in 2005, vendors at the Scarborough market complained of having to travel to
Trinidad to replenish their supplies and strongly advocated that agriculture be
made part of the CEPEP agenda. “Tobago was a big agricultural exporter. Right
now there are a set of young people painting stones and planting flowers when
they can be planting tomatoes and other things” while there is a shortage of
labour in the Agricultural sector.
For, Agriculture
Minister Clarence Rambharat, the labour shortage in the Agriculture sector will
be solved by employing CEPEP and URP workers.
Within recent time, the Pineapple Association of Trinidad and Tobago indicated
interest in having these workers used on their lands for labour.
Strengthening Our Agriculture Sector
A
top priority, as a matter of urgency, is the development of our agriculture
sector to cushion the impact of high food prices on our citizens.
Achieving
national food security requires a unified direction which will align resources
and create a platform for government and private sector to engage in strategic partnerships
to mobilize and utilize available land, resources, labour, human resources and
technology.
Invest in Goat Farming For Meat
 |
| Fresh Goat meat |
Research shows that the current consumption of fresh and frozen meat is valued at TT$236M. However, meat from goat is one of the major commodities and our present production is valued at TT$25M.
There
is opportunity for primary production as consumption greatly exceeds local
production.
Marketing
Avenues include:
- Retail market for fresh cut and frozen
- School Feeding Programme
- Fast Food and restaurants market
- Institutions (Army, Prisons, Hospital)
- Export Market
4 h clubs to learn about Goat
Farming - A Pilot Project
- The
Ministry of Education should partner with the Ministry of Agriculture to
engage 4 h members (in the eight education districts of Trinidad and Tobago) to learn how to rear goats.
- Start the pilot project with two female kids. When they are old enough to increase the Ministry of Agriculture should provide Artificial Insemination to provide increase. These new rams/does should be distributed to other schools throughout the community.
- increases from this pilot should be provided to other schools to engage
- With increased interest in goat meat, milk and cheese products, 4-H'ers will gain a broad knowledge of the goat industry through events, shows and hands-on project
- 4-H goat members will build skills which will be valuable to them for life as they increase their knowledge and find opportunities for personal growth and enrichment.
- The Private Sector should sponsor an award for the outstanding 4-H market goat club leader for which prizes should be distributed at the World Food Day Celebrations
