The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries today launched its Pilot Programme for Soyabean, Corn, and Blackeye Beans Production, marked by a ceremonial planting exercise at the Southern Main Road, Caroni.
The initiative represents a strategic intervention to strengthen domestic agricultural production, reduce Trinidad and Tobago’s food import bill, and advance national food and nutrition security. It also signals a deliberate shift toward a more coordinated, production-driven agricultural economy.
The pilot programme targets the cultivation of soyabean, corn, and blackeye beans, priority crops identified for their strong potential in import substitution, agro-processing, and integration into national feeding programmes. The phased pilot-to-scale approach begins with small-scale trials before expanding nationally, ensuring data-driven decision-making, optimized production systems, and reduced investment risk.
In addressing the ceremony, Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, emphasised the importance of transitioning from import dependence to local production, stating, “This initiative is about reclaiming control of our food system, moving from dependency to self-determination, from vulnerability to resilience, and from consumption-driven policy to production-led development.”
Minister Ratiram further noted that the pilot programme forms part of a broader, structured approach to transforming the agricultural sector through targeted and scalable interventions. The initiative also supports feed security for poultry, swine, and dairy production, expands domestic protein supply through blackeye beans, creates economic opportunities for small and medium-scale farmers, and promotes climate-smart and sustainable farming practices, including soil improvement through nitrogen fixation and flexible crop rotation systems.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration with key regional and international partners, including the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. These partnerships ensure a technically sound, research-driven, and sustainable approach to execution.
Also in attendance at the launch were Dr. the Honourable Michael Dowlath, MP, Minister of Education; Senator the Honourable Satyakama Maharaj, Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism; the Honourable Dr. Rishad Seecheren, MP, Minister in the Ministry of Health; Dr. Colin Neil Gosine, MP, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism; and Ms. Diana Francis, Representative of the IICA Delegation in Trinidad and Tobago, signalling strong collaboration among national, regional, and international stakeholders.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries remains committed to advancing sustainable agricultural development through strategic, data-driven initiatives that strengthen food security, reduce import dependence, and support long-term economic resilience.
