Trinidad and Tobago has strengthened its capacity to address the impacts of climate change on its agriculture and water sectors following the successful completion of a major climate adaptation project implemented through a partnership between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The project, entitled “Strengthening Adaptation Planning Processes and Capacity for Successful Implementation of Adaptation Actions in the Agricultural and Water Sectors of Trinidad and Tobago,” concluded with a closing workshop on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, which brought together government representatives, development partners, technical experts, participating farmers and other stakeholders to reflect on the project’s achievements and consider opportunities for advancing climate resilience nationally.
Led by the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries serving as a key technical partner, the initiative was designed to strengthen institutional and stakeholder capacity to plan, implement, assess, monitor and report on practical climate adaptation solutions. The project also sought to address gaps in technical knowledge, climate-related information, stakeholder coordination and investment in climate-resilient agricultural practices.
A significant achievement was the establishment and operationalisation of nine Climate Change Resilience Building Production Units across Trinidad and Tobago. These pilot sites introduced and demonstrated innovative climate-adaptive technologies and practices suited to local agricultural conditions, providing opportunities to assess their effectiveness and generate valuable information to guide future investments and decision-making.
The interventions included drip irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting and water storage facilities, solar-powered irrigation systems, protected cultivation through greenhouses, hydroponic fodder systems, aquaponics, drought-tolerant fodder banks and other technologies designed to improve production efficiency, water management and resilience to adverse climatic conditions.
The nine sites comprised three Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries demonstration centres at Poole, Bamboo and Charlieville; four farmer-led sites in Rio Claro, Penal, Cunupia and Gran Couva; and two farmer-led sites in Tobago at Louis D’Or and Shirvan Road. The sites focused on different agricultural activities, including vegetables, aquaculture, legumes, roots and tubers, cocoa and small ruminant production.
The project also facilitated the training of 47 Climate Risk Resilience Champions, strengthening the knowledge and skills required to support climate adaptation initiatives and promote climate-smart practices across the agricultural sector.
Early feedback from participating beneficiaries has indicated encouraging improvements, including healthier plants and livestock, fewer pests, more reliable irrigation and fertilisation, and improved production. These developments demonstrate the potential of climate-adaptive technologies to strengthen agricultural productivity while reducing vulnerability to climate-related risks.
Delivering the feature address at the closing workshop, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, Sanjay Singh, underscored the importance of integrating climate resilience into the country’s wider national development priorities.
He noted that changing rainfall patterns, prolonged dry periods, flooding and rising temperatures pose significant risks to agricultural productivity, water availability, livelihoods and national food security.
“Strengthening climate resilience is therefore not simply an environmental concern, but an essential component of our national development agenda,” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary emphasised that the Government’s commitment to agricultural revitalisation, reducing dependence on imported food and advancing economic diversification must be supported by measures that protect agricultural systems against the growing impacts of climate change.
He further highlighted the importance of strengthening drainage and irrigation infrastructure, promoting water conservation, supporting farmers through access to training and modern technologies, and encouraging greater investment in climate-smart agricultural practices.
Dr. Gillian Smith, FAO Representative ad interim for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, highlighted the importance of the initiative in supporting the country’s food security objectives and strengthening the resilience of local food production systems. She noted that achieving greater food security requires increased local production, stronger resilience and greater utilisation of locally produced agricultural commodities, emphasising that these outcomes must be supported by targeted investments and strategic interventions.
The project also incorporated community engagement, private-sector dialogue, gender sensitivity and youth inclusion to ensure that the experiences and perspectives of diverse stakeholders informed the development of climate adaptation priorities.
Importantly, the initiative represents a readiness phase in assessing Trinidad and Tobago’s institutional capacity and the potential for scaling up successful climate adaptation technologies and interventions to benefit a wider cross-section of farmers and stakeholders.
Building on the knowledge and experience generated, a proposed Green Climate Fund Concept Note is being advanced as a potential pathway for mobilising additional resources and expanding climate adaptation interventions across the agriculture and water sectors. The initiative aligns with the objectives of Trinidad and Tobago’s National Climate Change Policy 2025, which emphasises strengthening adaptive capacity, promoting climate-smart agriculture, enhancing food security, ensuring sustainable water resource management and improving access to climate finance.
Both institutions acknowledged that while the project’s formal completion represents an important milestone, sustaining its achievements will require continued collaboration, investment and commitment from government agencies, development partners, the private sector, farmers and communities.
The Permanent Secretary expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, FAO, the Green Climate Fund, the Cropper Foundation, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the University of the West Indies, International Project Consulting LLC, Eco Limited and all other participating institutions and stakeholders whose contributions supported the successful implementation of the project. He encouraged stakeholders to build on the knowledge generated, strengthen existing partnerships and identify opportunities to sustain and expand the interventions introduced.
As Trinidad and Tobago continues to advance its agricultural revitalisation and climate resilience agenda, the project provides an important foundation for more informed planning, targeted investment and practical adaptation measures.