$7.5m Tobago boost to grow food

The Division of Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries is offering financial incentives, land, equipment and planting materials to heighten food production on the island in response to the adverse impact of covid19 on the agriculture sector.

In a press release on Tuesday, the division said the aim is "achieving food security...during this uncertain period."

The THA’s Executive Council covid19 committee through the Ministry of Finance and the Divisions of Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries and Finance and the Economy said it stands ready to support Tobago’s food producers and processors.

Secretary of Finance and Economy Joel Jack on Tuesday said $7.5 million has been allocated to the initiative which includes: land preparation services, crop production incentives, production of planting materials for free distribution, increasing the supply of starter livestock, crop irrigation, greater involvement of youth in agriculture through distribution, agro-processing, home gardening and post-harvest storage facilities.

Farmers will benefit from cash incentives for the production per acre of specific crops including: sweet potato, cassava, vegetables ($3,000), pigeon peas, banana and plantains ($5,000). Farmers will get $3,000 per acre for herbs and spices but must be producing a minimum of half acre.

Farmers will also be able to utilise tractor pool services free of charge for land preparation activities.

There will be an incentive for increasing the supply of starter livestock to alleviate the burden on Government livestock stations for meeting the demands for starter livestock, particularly pig and small ruminants like goat and sheep.

The division intends to offer an incentive of 100 per cent the total cost of irrigation systems – water pump, equipment, infrastructure – up to a maximum of $35,000, aimed at encouraging vital year-round production.

Additionally, the division will encourage food security in livestock production through viable enterprises in poultry (meat and eggs), small ruminant, pig and rabbit production. The division will make state lands available for medium to large poultry farms (3000-10,000) birds and assist 50 per cent on pre-approved housing and infrastructure for poultry (boilers, layers) up to a maximum of $100,000. The division will continue to promote the existing incentive on rabbit production

The division promised greater involvement in youth in agriculture through land distribution. Recent graduates of cycle 11 of the youth apprenticeship programme in agriculture in 2018 will be issued at least two acres of land for agricultural production.

To boost in-home gardening, the division intends to distribute planting materials such as seeds, seedlings and cuttings free of charge to home gardeners.

The division will also offer subsidise 50 per cent of the cost for watering equipment and watering systems, up to a maximum of $3,000, to encourage year-round home gardening. There will also be an incentive of 50 per cent subsidy on approved home gardening tools.

The division will pay 70 per cent of the cost of establishing approved facilities for agro-processing of approved commodities – root tubers, pigeon peas, corn, banana and plantain, mango, local meats, local dairy milk – to a maximum of $80,000.

The division intends to build the island’s capacity in chill and cold storage facilities via private sector investment through the provision of an incentive of 60 per cent of the cost of establishing approved infrastructure and facilities for chill and cold storage up to a maximum of $50,000.