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MOU Signed with Nestle and Aripo Livestock Limited

Earlier Today, Nestle Trinidad and Tobago Limited, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Aripo Livestock Limited. The agreement facilitates the arrangement for the supply of milk from the Aripo Livestock Limited to Nestle, which is expected to take effect from January 2021.

Speaking at the signing, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat said, Nestle is an important part of the food landscape, both locally and globally. The partnership with the Aripo Livestock Limited is an important one, if the country wants to increase the amount of milk that is available for consumption, the Minister said.

He added, that both parties stand to benefit tremendously from this venture, more-so the famers and it is his expectation that this will serve as a success model for large and smaller farmers in going forward.

Market Head of Anglo Dutch Caribbean, Patricio Torres said that the company welcomed the opportunity to be part of this arrangement with the Aripo Livestock Limited and indicated, that today’s event is very significant, as it will also serve as a catalyst for other initiatives by the company in the future.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was subsequently signed between Mr. Lincoln Thackorie, representing the Aripo Livestock Limited and Mr. Patricio Torres on behalf of Nestle, Trinidad and Tobago.

In October, 2019 Government entered into a Public Private Partnership with the Aripo Livestock Limited. The facility consist of 1,176 acres.

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Minister Singh: “Food Security demands a shift in our perception of Agriculture”

October 16, 2020:- Making Trinidad and Tobago a more food secure nation goes beyond the implementation of specific initiatives. It demands a shift in our perception of agriculture from being a manually intensive, high risk, low reward activity to one that is essential to the well-being of the country. Such was the view of the Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator Avinash Singh as he brought Remarks at a Tree Planting Ceremony on Friday 16th October, 2020 (World Food Day).

The ceremony, which was hosted by the World Food Day National Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (WFDNCTT), took place at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Port of Spain, under the World Food Day 2020 theme: Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. #Our Actions Our Future. It was attended by members of the WFDNCTT, each of whom participated in the symbolic planting of a Rambutan plant, which had journeyed across seven (7) schools throughout Trinidad, where it was nurtured by 4-H students for a respective period of one (1) week.

Reflecting on the Government’s Road Map to Recovery document, Minister Singh noted, that it was important to shift the culture of agriculture into one where “locally grown food is on the preferred taste palate of every citizen, fast food outlet, hotel and restaurant”. Equally important, he added, was the vision of agriculture as a profitable business activity.

“The overall goal should be one where our future food systems provide affordable and healthy diets for all persons, while also preserving natural resources and biodiversity and addressing challenges such as climate change”, the Minister said.

Also speaking at the ceremony was the Chairman of the WFDNCTT, Ms. Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh who said the issue of food security was even more a priority given the growing concerns regarding one’s access to sufficient, high quality food in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and its debilitating impact on the disposable incomes of families. This – according to her – when added to the 2019 food import bill of some $5.67 billion, gave credence to her national call for action. Ms. Kissoonsingh said: “As citizens we need to adopt a new mind set by supporting local producers, using the Earth’s resources more wisely, following nutritious and varied diets, and changing day-to-day actions with the aim of reducing waste and taking on a more sustainable lifestyle.”

Following the Tree Planting Ceremony, the WFDNCTT launched a Virtual Exhibition, displaying both the creative work of 4-H students who were actively involved in rearing the Rambutan plant during the first quarter of this year and a brief, historical overview of its ‘Plant Torch’ and ‘Run for Food’ events, through the years. To view the Exhibition, please see the following link:- https://www.artsteps.com/view/5f723393b102a65236b501db

The WFDNCTT is mandated by Cabinet, to create public awareness and guidance on the complex issue of ensuring food security for all, through a range of activities which highlight the World Food Day Theme for the particular year. The Committee comprises of representatives from both the public and private sectors which have responsibility for agriculture, food supply and consumption, rural development and education.

Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Avinash Singh (right), strikes a pose with the Chairman of the World Food Day National Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (WFDNCTT), Ms. Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh (left), following the symbolic planting of a Rambutan tree at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Port of Spain on Friday 16th October, 2020. The activity formed part of the WFDNCTT’s commemoration of World Food Day, celebrated on October 16, annually.

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Rambharat: We will enforce land covenants so young can farm

By Julien Neaves

October 13, 2020.

AGRICULTURE Minister Clarence Rambharat said the ministry will be enforcing land covenants and removing non-compliant holders to allow for more lands for young prospective farmers.

He was contributing to the budget debate in the House on Tuesday.

He said young people have informed the ministry they would like to deploy their skills on agricultural land and many of them were from farming families where they had exhausted the land available.

“The only way to allocate land for new tenants is to enforce covenants with those who sustain land. We will ensure those who are non-compliant will be relieved of the responsibility to hold that land, and it will be distributed in a fair and transparent manner, with the priority for young farming families.”

He also said said recipients of food cards will eventually stop receiving processed food and instead get produce from local farmers. He explained in the area of agriculture a main priority is to compete with imports, and the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) will be seeking to promote comparable and competitive products. He added Namdevco will be taking a policy position to move away from food cards for processed food and recipients will instead be receiving produce in hand.

He spoke about the $500 million to develop agriculture sector and noted Opposition members had said they could not find it in the budget. But, he said, the Finance Minister made it clear the money would be available in 2021 and he added that the best way to manage it would be through the finance ministry.

Rambharat said the $500 million will be used for a number of projects, including digital transformation in the area of land management. He reported $15 million had already been spent in that area in the two years of the project and 10,000 out of 30,000 files for agriculture, residential and institutional land have been digitalised. He said with additional resources the remaining 20,000 can be completed in 18 months to two years. He explained this will assist in delivering state land leases where they have expired, in constituencies such as Lopinot/Bon Air West, Tabaquite and Toco/Sangre Grande.

Rambharat said there were 2,390 former agricultural tenants still on Caroni lands, some active, some not. He said work will be done to give agricultural tenants to get leases for lands where they are complying with government’s policy on agriculture and the first phase will be in Princes Town and Tabaquite.

“We are working hard to give people their leases.”

Of the $500 million, he said $30 million will be used to repair 100 kilometres of the 900 kilometres of access roads. This will be done in two phases in areas such as Toco/Sangre Grande, Paramin, Oropouche and Fyzabad.

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