Story, picture by
Shastri Boodan
Primary and secondary schools will soon benefit from a US$75,000 grant to boost agriculture. Newly-elected president of the National 4-H Council of T&T Natasha Lee said the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) announced last year that assistance would be given to schools with registered 4-H clubs.
“Since the announcement of the grant was made in the last quarter of 2023 to the end of January 2024 we have collected the data and we will now be moving forward to send teams to visit schools to look at feasibility of their projects which would be funded by the FAO,” she said.
“The aim is to use innovation and technology to boost school gardens. We want to see increased production at schools which would then translate to the home and communities of our young members. We want to see agriculture grow in Trinidad and Tobago since we have a very high import bill.
“Technology will allow us to use less space for increased production. Food security can be boosted once we get young people and their families involved in agriculture. A lot of families have challenges when it comes to space for production. Once we can get them to produce, even the smallest amount, they can save.”
Lee added that 4-H is continuing its work with partner organisations and is joining with Caribbean Chemicals Limited to host competitions involving the use of local produce, items from school gardens, video productions at the primary level and a quiz competition at the secondary level. Lee and the new executive were elected at a meeting last week at the Sugarcane Feeds Centre, Longdenville.