Minister Ratiram Reaffirms Strategic Partnership with IICA to Accelerate Agricultural Transformation

Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, has reaffirmed the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries commitment to strengthening its longstanding partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to accelerate agricultural transformation, strengthen food security and build a more resilient and competitive agrifood sector.

Speaking at the IICA Accountability and Agricultural Dialogue 2026 at the Sugar Cane Feed Centre, Longdenville, Minister Ratiram underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing innovation, climate resilience and sustainable agricultural development.

The annual dialogue brought together government officials, development partners, academia, producer organizations, agribusinesses and other stakeholders to review IICA’s technical cooperation achievements over the past year and identify priorities for strengthening Trinidad and Tobago’s agricultural sector.

The Minister highlighted the Ministry’s longstanding collaboration with IICA across key areas including climate-smart agriculture, agricultural innovation, digital transformation, food safety, biosecurity, agribusiness development and producer capacity building, noting that these initiatives directly support the Government’s priorities of increasing domestic food production, reducing dependence on food imports and enhancing the resilience of the national agrifood system.

Minister Ratiram also recognized IICA’s technical support in strengthening agricultural health and sanitary and phytosanitary systems, promoting science and innovation, facilitating knowledge exchange and supporting agricultural micro, small and medium enterprises through regional initiatives aimed at improving competitiveness and expanding market opportunities.

“The Ministry’s partnership with IICA is one of our most significant international technical collaborations. Together, we are building an agricultural sector that is productive, resilient, climate-smart and globally competitive. Through continued collaboration, innovation and shared purpose, we are strengthening food security, creating new opportunities for our farmers and positioning agriculture as a key driver of sustainable national development,” Minister Ratiram said.

The Ministry reaffirms its commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with IICA in areas such as precision agriculture, climate adaptation, digital technologies, agricultural financing, export certification and value-chain development as the Ministry continues to modernize the sector and improve the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.

 

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