Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Highlights TobaGrow’s Role in Strengthening Agricultural Investment in Tobago.
Published on
August 11, 2026
Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, has welcomed the launch of the Agricultural Development Bank TobaGrow Loan Facility as an important intervention to expand access to financing and unlock greater opportunities for farmers, fisherfolk and agribusiness operators in Tobago.
Addressing stakeholders at the launch held today in Tobago, Minister Ratiram said access to affordable and responsive financing must form a critical part of the country’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“TobaGrow represents far more than access to credit. It represents confidence in Tobago’s producers. Confidence in Tobago’s entrepreneurs. Confidence in Tobago’s ability to become an even stronger contributor to national food security and economic growth,” the Minister said.
Minister Ratiram noted that access to capital continues to be one of the major constraints affecting farmers, fisherfolk and agribusiness operators, particularly where investment is required for equipment, processing facilities, working capital and expansion, as such, the launch of TobaGrow represents a deliberate response to these financing challenges and forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries broader efforts to create an enabling environment for increased agricultural production, enterprise development and investment.
Minister Ratiram commended the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Development Bank for approving the facility and for recognizing the distinct financing needs of Tobago’s agricultural sector. He also acknowledged the Tobago House of Assembly for its collaboration in bringing the initiative to fruition, noting that the partnership demonstrates the value of coordinated institutional action in delivering practical solutions for agricultural stakeholders.
Minister Ratiram encouraged Tobago’s farmers, fisherfolk, processors and agricultural entrepreneurs to utilize the opportunities available through TobaGrow to expand their enterprises and strengthen their contribution to the agricultural economy.
Minister Ratiram reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to continued collaboration with the ADB, THA and other stakeholders to remove barriers to agricultural development, improve service delivery and create greater opportunities for investment and enterprise development.
The TobaGrow Loan Facility represents a further step towards strengthening the financing ecosystem for Tobago’s agricultural sector while supporting the Ministry’s wider agenda to build a resilient, productive and commercially competitive agricultural economy.
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