$13M disbursed to date for Agro-Incentive Grant
The Government, through the Agricultural Finance Support Programme (Agro-Incentive Grant) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, would have dispensed $13 Million in grant funding to farmers and agro-processors since its inception in 2018. Such was the revelation of the Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Avinash Singh earlier today (Friday 24th June, 2022) as he delivered the feature address at an Agro- Incentive Grant Cheque Distribution Ceremony at the Ministry’s Head Office in Chaguanas.
In identifying each grant recipient as a “success story” in his / her own right, Minister Singh said that while the country grappled with the current Russia/Ukraine conflict and its adverse impact on the global supply chain, the Government continues to invest generously in our local food and nutrition security through the provision of financial support programmes such as the Agro-Incentive- Grant. He urged grant recipients to do their part and ensure that the taxpayers’ money that they are receiving is put to good use for the benefit of the country and the wider region.
The Minister further stated that he was particularly heartened by the timeliness of the grant distribution which comes at a time when the public was still unravelling from the global increase in food (namely wheat) prices and as a result, consumers needed to be even more empowered when making food choices by opting for local products and produce which he pronounced, will secure both the interests of their family’s health as well as the sustainability of the local food basket.
The ceremony – which witnessed the disbursement of grants to the value of up to $100,000 respectively to some twenty-one (21) recipients – was attended by the Permanent Secretary (Ag.) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Ms. Coomarie Goolabsingh as well as members of the Agricultural Finance Support Programme Assessment Committee.
