World Food Day 2025 Commemorated with Tree Planting and Prize Distribution Ceremony

 

 

October  17, 2025:-  Port-of-Spain, Trinidad – In a vibrant celebration held yesterday (October 16, 2025) at Queen’s Hall, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries joined the World Food Day National Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (WFDNCTT) to commemorate World Food Day 2025 under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future.”

 

The day’s festivities began with a tree-planting ceremony at Lookout Hill in the Royal Botanic Gardens, where an Abiu tree (Pouteria caimito) was planted to signify sustainable growth, unity and hope for a more food-secure future. This annual activity forms part of the Ministry’s World Food Day tradition and serves both symbolic and scientific purposes. Each year, a tree is selected based on an assessment of the existing plant collection at the Gardens, contributing to the diversification and enrichment of this historic space and preserving the nation’s botanical heritage.

 

In addressing the ceremony, Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, emphasised the importance of collective responsibility and intergenerational learning in ensuring food security. He expressed “The activities we share represent more than commemoration; they represent continuity. Each action, each expression, reinforces the core message of World Food Day: that lasting change begins with awareness, and awareness blossoms into collective action. When we plant a tree, nurture a crop or educate a child, we are sowing the seeds of a stronger, more food-secure nation.”

 

In her remarks, Mrs. Pamela Ramroop-Kamal, Chairman of the WFDNCTT, commended the participating schools and partners for their dedication to promoting food security, sustainability and youth engagement.

 

The ceremony also featured students from eight primary schools who participated in the “Little Hands, Big Roots” initiative, nurturing Abiu plants earlier this year as part of an educational programme promoting environmental stewardship and agricultural awareness. The students shared their experiences through creative presentations, including poems, artwork and a lively skit that captured the spirit of World Food Day.

 

In addition to the prize and token distribution, guests explored exhibits by international organisations, state agencies and local agro-processors, highlighting innovation and collaboration across the agriculture and food sectors.

 

Among those in attendance were Ms. Michelle Anne Thomas, Permanent Secretary (Ag.) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; Ms. Janelle Joe, Assistant FAO Representative, who delivered remarks on behalf of FAO Director-General Dr. Qu Dongyu; and representatives from the FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and other national stakeholders.

 

This year’s observance not only celebrates 80 years of the FAO’s leadership in advancing global food systems, but also underscores Trinidad and Tobago’s ongoing commitment to empowering communities, strengthening local food production and fostering partnerships for a better, more resilient future.

 

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