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The Ministry of Youth Development and National Service has launched its Youth Aquaculture Project, which is open to citizens aged 16-35. Application forms can be found on the ministry’s website.
Speaking at the launch at the ministry’s offices on Elizabeth Street, St Clair, on Wednesday, Minister Foster Cummings said this was the third programme in the Youth in Agriculture series being developed by the ministry, the other two being the Youth Agricultural Homestead programme (YAHP) and the Youth Agricultural Shadehouse Project.
“These three projects will in fact constitute the efforts of the Ministry of Youth Development, the efforts of the government, to introduce programmes directly targeting our youth population as we seek to expand our 21st century farmers, farming entrepreneurs, and we seek to bolster our food security in this small twin-island state.
“On every occasion that we advertised these youth agricultural projects, we get a tremendous response from the youth population and we are only able to take in a small fraction of the applicants that apply.”
Cummings said the project will be carried out in collaboration with the University of the West Indies St Augustine, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, and Fisheries.
“I’m very proud today to launch this new project in collaboration with the UWI and I want to thank the professor and his team for assisting us in designing this project. I want to thank the Ministry of Agriculture for their assistance because while we at the ministry in collaboration with the university will execute the training component of it, the Agriculture Ministry will provide the technical support and ponds, they are currently refurbishing ponds at Valsayn and the sugarcane feed centre in Chaguanas, in Longdenville, and therefore it is a collaborative effort.”
He said in addition to assisting with food security, the three programmes will assist with inclusive and active youth participation in the civic and democratic life of TT. He said the Youth Aquaculture project will provide targeted support to the agricultural sector, especially in the area of fisheries.
“I mean you can’t live on an island and have issues for fish and seafood, we should be at the forefront of sustainability and of course provide exports to the region and the wider world. We seek to provide the kind of targeted education that is necessary for the creation of a class of entrepreneurs in the fisheries subsector, with dedication and commitment to the fundamentals of the programme. Selected participants will develop both theoretical and practical knowledge and expertise as entrepreneurs in this area and the UWI will play a key role in that regard.
“The young men and women selected will become familiar with what is required for aquatic production, moving through the system towards production and harvesting to post-harvest and marketing. Our agriculture entrepreneurs will be exposed to a system of training that will equip them to use appropriate tools and technologies for sustainable production systems in this kind of activity. At the end of their training and development, they will be in a position to meet a number of opportunities, including: designing, operating and managing aquaculture systems and facilities of various sizes; treating with the effects of climate change while building sustainable agriculture enterprises; and engaging in related entrepreneurial activity.”
Cummings said aquaculture is the fastest growing area of animal food production globally and has tremendous potential for small developing states in the Caribbean, as well as the health benefits of eating healthy food.
“I make this point to emphasise that over the past two decades, the fisheries and aquaculture sector have been increasingly recognised for their essential contribution to global food nutrition security. This is just one of the several ways we are seeking to do our part as a nation to contribute towards mitigating the challenges we face.”
He said the programme is another avenue for the diversification of the economy of TT.
“We’ll work to ensure that the participants of this programme represent a broad cross-section of the desired national cohort – urban and rural youth, unemployed young people, men and young women, fisherfolk, persons new to the sector, and aquaculture enthusiasts will form part of this group of new prospective entrepreneurs.”
Cummings said applications opened on Wednesday and would close on July 19.
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