Former UNC agriculture minister Vasant Bharath and economist Indera Sagewan are among members of a special advisory committee mandated by the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ASTT) to find solutions to avert a possible food crisis in T&T.
The society will launch the team on Thursday at its Port-of-Spain office, ASTT committee member Suren Ramkissoon said yesterday.
He added that the team will, in a nutshell, look at ways to increase food production, decrease food prices and propel the sector to assist in making T&T more self-reliant regarding food supply.
“We are hoping we can obtain a positive framework to take to Government to assist farmers and the public by extension in the short term and we’re hopeful this team can address some of the issues facing the food production section, which has a bigger role to play in the country’s post-pandemic state,” Ramkissoon added.
Apart from Bharath and Sagewan, other members of the team are former ASTT president Wendy Lee Yuen, UWI lecturer Sheldon Pilgrim and CEO of the Cropper Foundation Omar Mohammed.
The society will also launch its National Farmers Registry on Thursday.
Ramkissoon added, “The Agricultural Society of T&T has a very large voice in the dynamics of this twin-island of the Republic and it is our intention to use that voice for the advancement and gratification of the farming communities.”
The team has a three-month timeframe to do a report for the society and if necessary, can get an additional three-month extension.
Bharath, who has been doing work for several European financial entities, will be spending more time in T&T as a result of the ASTT role.