Prime Minister Dr the Hon. Keith Rowley toured three locations in South Trinidad on Monday 26 March, 2018 for a first-hand view of the implementation of best-practice techniques and the deployment of the latest mechanical advancements in agriculture.
The Prime Minister’s first visit was to the PCS Model Farm in Couva where he was led on a guided tour of the facility by Managing Director of PCS Nitrogen, Ian Welch. The Model Farm and Agriculture Resource Centre is a hub for the transfer of small-scale sustainable farming techniques to local farmers.
At High Quality Seedlings and Garden Shop in Penal, Managing Director Shantie Soogrim, who has been running this family business for more than 20 years, demonstrated how her small operation mass produces seedlings using a combination of dedicated manual labour and the automation of several processes.
The final stop was at Marilisa Farms, which is one of the largest, most advanced sheep and goat farms in the English-speaking Caribbean. Here, Dr Rowley gained some insight into the strides being made locally as it pertains to breeding and livestock management.
Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, the Honourable Kazim Hosein and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the Honourable Avinash Singh joined the Prime Minister on the tour.