81 farmers to benefit from Goldsborough Irrigation Facility

Eighty-one farmers in Cow Farm Road and Pig Farm Road, Goldsborough will benefit from an irrigation facility aimed at providing a sustainable water supply through wells.

On Tuesday, the THA Division of Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries commissioned the facility at Cow Farm Road.

During the ceremony, Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis, who also holds the portfolio for food production, said the commissioning demonstrates the seriousness and commitment of this administration to the farmers across the island.

He said, “One of our commitments to the people of Tobago, and I consider it a very important commitment not only to the people of Tobago but to the people of this country, is to make sure that we make Tobago’s agriculture sector greater than it is.”

He said notwithstanding all the challenges and shortcomings at this time, he believes there is tremendous potential in the agricultural sector.

“Therefore, we are placing tremendous emphasis to ensure that we are able to support that potential, to ensure that we are able to increase food production on the island, and to ensure that we are able to increase the number of Tobagonians involved in successful agriculture businesses, and of course to ensure that we’re able to increase the number of millionaires on the island.”

This project, he said, is only part of what is being done in the sector at this time.

“There was a long-standing challenge of water in this area and Goldsborough is one of the most promising areas. The final issue to be resolved at this location is really a predictable and sufficient supply of water to ensure that farmers are able to produce more.”

President of the Goldsborough Farmers Association Roland Murray pleaded with Dennis to ensure that the water supply is reliable.

“I am hoping that the Chief Secretary which is the Secretary for Food Production would ensure that the project continues and it doesn’t happen like in 2007 where this well was commissioned and today we are here to commission it again because of that said problem.”

The division's Administrator, Wendell Bernard, is hoping the initiative brings much-needed relief to the farmers.

“That it would also boost agriculture production, which is something necessary in light of the supply chain problems that we’ve been having recently around the world and in light of the covid19 pandemic. If the Tobago society is to strive, is to grow, is to develop, then a sustainable food supply is necessary.”

He added: “We hope that the farmers in this area will make use of it, that it will help them to thrive and develop, that they would use it sustainably, that they would increase their production, that they would diversify their production and that out of this would come a sustainable food supply.”