On Saturday 18th July, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, marked another significant milestone in Trinidad and Tobago’s agricultural diversification and food security agenda with the successful harvest of corn cultivated under the Ministry’s Pilot Programme for Black Eye Bean, Corn and Soya Beans Production.
The harvest brought together Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) Ansari Hosein, technical officers and farmers to observe the progress of the initiative, which forms part of the Ministry’s broader strategy to strengthen domestic feed grain production, enhance food security and reduce dependence on imported agricultural commodities.
Speaking at the harvest, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, described the successful harvest as another important milestone in the Ministry’s commitment to building a more resilient and self-sufficient agricultural sector.
“This harvest demonstrates the tremendous potential for producing feed corn locally and reinforces our commitment to strengthening Trinidad and Tobago’s food production systems through science, innovation and strategic partnerships. By investing in research-driven initiatives such as this pilot programme, we are laying the foundation for a more resilient livestock sector, reducing our dependence on imported feed grains and creating new opportunities for sustainable agricultural growth.”
Minister Ratiram also noted that the project will continue to undergo comprehensive technical evaluation to assess production efficiency, yield performance and opportunities for phased expansion into larger-scale commercial cultivation.
The harvested grain from the pilot crop is being dried at the National Seed Bank, where it will undergo further nutritional and food safety analysis, then shared with local feed mills and livestock farmers for feedback on its potential for use as a replacement to imported corn grain and utilized for ongoing animal feed research. Further scientific analysis will be conducted by CARDI to support future varietal selection and production research to replicate the above-average yields noted during this first harvest as the Ministry advances the next phase of the programme.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries remains committed to advancing sustainable, production-driven agriculture capable of supporting economic diversification, food import bill reduction, strengthening the livestock sector and improving national food security through strategic initiatives such as the Pilot Programme for Black Eye Bean, Corn and Soya Beans Production.
