Agriculture Minister Distributes over 5 million in Grants
Published on
February 23, 2024
23rd February 2024:- Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, distributed over $5 million in cheques to 50 farmers today. These farmers were all recipients of the Agricultural Finance Support Programme (Agro-Incentive Grant), which was introduced in 2018 and disbursed over $25 million to more than 200 stakeholders. The program seeks to empower farmers to modernise their facilities, adopt new technologies, and improve efficiency and safety in their agricultural practices. It has been highly influential in achieving its goals.
During the 6th cycle of the Agricultural Finance Support Programme distribution ceremony, which took place on February 23rd, 2024, at the City Hall Auditorium in San Fernando, Minister Hosein urged the farming community to make use of the various services offered by the Ministry. He confidently stated that “the grants and services offered through the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries are specifically designed to engage and empower farmers and fisherfolk, and have proven to be highly effective in promoting sustainable agricultural practices. By doing so, the region can take a significant step towards reducing its food import bill and achieving greater food security.”
During his address, Minister Hosein also outlined other initiatives under the Ministry’s comprehensive approach to agricultural development, including the Agricultural Incentive Programme (AIP), which offers cash rebates in 92 categories to support the development of agricultural practices. The Minister explained to the audience that, “these categories include vehicle purchases, integrated pest management systems, advancements in livestock, tree crops, and agro-processing, and have been carefully designed to meet the diverse needs of the agricultural community.”
He also took the opportunity to highlight the Flood Relief Compensation program, which provides essential support to farmers affected by natural disasters. He encouraged stakeholders to access the resources available through the Ministry’s website to support their agricultural endeavours, stating that “we are committed to ensuring that our farmers have the support they need to succeed, and we will continue to work tirelessly to promote sustainable agricultural practices and achieve greater food security for our region.”
Today’s event was also attended by the Honourable Foster Cummings, Minister of Youth Development and National Service and the Honourable Symon De Nobriga, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister – Communications, His Excellency Imam Edy Mulyono, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Trinidad and Tobago, Senator the Honourable Avinash Singh, Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and other key stakeholders in the sector.
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