Bitcoins <\/p>\n
Riyadh Mo\u00adhammed<\/p>\n
Trinidad and To\u00adba\u00adgo\u2019s gov\u00adern\u00adment and pri\u00advate sec\u00adtor are ac\u00adtive\u00adly chan\u00adnel\u00ading in\u00advest\u00adments in\u00adto mod\u00adern tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies like AI, drones, pre\u00adci\u00adsion ir\u00adri\u00adga\u00adtion and dig\u00adi\u00adtal plat\u00adforms to en\u00adhance agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal pro\u00adduc\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adty, re\u00adsilience, and food se\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty. These ef\u00adforts ad\u00address chal\u00adlenges such as high costs, lim\u00adit\u00aded dig\u00adi\u00adtal ac\u00adcess and cli\u00admate risks faced by small\u00adhold\u00ader farm\u00aders, align\u00ading with na\u00adtion\u00adal plans for tech-dri\u00adven growth. The 2026 PSIP al\u00adlo\u00adcates funds for agri-tech un\u00adder agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal pro\u00adduc\u00adtion and in\u00adfra\u00adstruc\u00adture, where a small por\u00adtion is used for ir\u00adri\u00adga\u00adtion, land de\u00advel\u00adop\u00adment, and tech ini\u00adtia\u00adtives with\u00adin a $1.13 bil\u00adlion al\u00adlo\u00adca\u00adtion. <\/p>\n
The agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal plan for T&T<\/p>\n
The $1.13 bil\u00adlion agri\u00adcul\u00adture al\u00adlo\u00adca\u00adtion plan out\u00adlined in the 2025\/2026 bud\u00adget, tar\u00adgets food se\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty by 2030 through mod\u00aderni\u00adsa\u00adtion, re\u00adduced im\u00adport re\u00adliance, and ex\u00adport growth. It aims to cut the na\u00adtion\u00adal food im\u00adport bill by 25 per cent by 2030 via tech in\u00adte\u00adgra\u00adtion, in\u00adfra\u00adstruc\u00adture up\u00adgrades, and stake\u00adhold\u00ader part\u00adner\u00adships. Heavy in\u00advest\u00adment in smart agri\u00adcul\u00adture, AI and agri-tech boosts ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy and self-suf\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy for lo\u00adcal pro\u00adduc\u00aders. Youth pro\u00adgrammes like the Youth Agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal Fund and school in\u00adte\u00adgra\u00adtion pro\u00admote long-term par\u00adtic\u00adi\u00adpa\u00adtion. A \u2018Buy Lo\u00adcal, Build Trin\u00adba\u00adgo\u2019 cam\u00adpaign sup\u00adports pro\u00adduc\u00aders while align\u00ading with Cari\u00adcom\u2019s \u201c25 by 2025\u201d im\u00adport re\u00adduc\u00adtion goals, ex\u00adtend\u00aded to 2030 tar\u00adgets. <\/p>\n
Agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies<\/p>\n
Farm\u00aders can lever\u00adage var\u00adi\u00adous agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies to en\u00adhance food safe\u00adty and qual\u00adi\u00adty by min\u00adi\u00admiz\u00ading con\u00adt\u00ada\u00adm\u00adi\u00adnants, op\u00adti\u00admis\u00ading in\u00adputs, and im\u00adprov\u00ading trace\u00adabil\u00adi\u00adty. These tools re\u00adduce chem\u00adi\u00adcal overuse, boost dis\u00adease re\u00adsis\u00adtance and en\u00adsure pre\u00adcise mon\u00adi\u00adtor\u00ading through\u00adout pro\u00adduc\u00adtion.<\/p>\n
For Crops<\/p>\n
1) Pre\u00adci\u00adsion agri\u00adcul\u00adture- GPS, drones, IoT sen\u00adsors, and aer\u00adi\u00adal im\u00adagery en\u00adable tar\u00adget\u00aded ap\u00adpli\u00adca\u00adtion of wa\u00adter, fer\u00adtilis\u00aders, and pes\u00adti\u00adcides, cut\u00adting waste by 40 to 60 per cent and chem\u00adi\u00adcal residues in crops. This pre\u00adci\u00adsion low\u00aders con\u00adt\u00ada\u00adm\u00adi\u00adna\u00adtion risks while main\u00adtain\u00ading op\u00adti\u00admal growth con\u00addi\u00adtions.<\/p>\n
2) Biotech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy and gene edit\u00ading- CRISPR-Cas9 and ge\u00adnet\u00adic en\u00adgi\u00adneer\u00ading cre\u00adate drought-re\u00adsis\u00adtant, dis\u00adease-tol\u00ader\u00adant crops like non-brown\u00ading mush\u00adrooms or virus-re\u00adsis\u00adtant pa\u00adpaya, re\u00adduc\u00ading pes\u00adti\u00adcide needs and im\u00adprov\u00ading nu\u00adtri\u00adtion\u00adal pro\u00adfiles. These mod\u00adi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtions en\u00adhance yield and safe\u00adty with\u00adout for\u00adeign DNA in many cas\u00ades.<\/p>\n
3) Smart mon\u00adi\u00adtor\u00ading sys\u00adtems- In-field sen\u00adsors track soil, weath\u00ader, and crop health to pre\u00advent spoilage and en\u00adsure prop\u00ader har\u00advest tim\u00ading, while AI-dri\u00adven sprayers tar\u00adget weeds pre\u00adcise\u00adly. Farm man\u00adage\u00adment plat\u00adforms pro\u00advide end-to-end trace\u00adabil\u00adi\u00adty from farm to fork, mit\u00adi\u00adgat\u00ading post-har\u00advest con\u00adt\u00ada\u00adm\u00adi\u00adna\u00adtion.<\/p>\n
4) Soil-less and con\u00adtrolled farm\u00ading- Ver\u00adti\u00adcal, hy\u00addro\u00adpon\u00adic, and aero\u00adpon\u00adic sys\u00adtems grow crops with\u00adout soil, min\u00adi\u00admiz\u00ading pathogen ex\u00adpo\u00adsure and en\u00adabling year-round pro\u00adduc\u00adtion in con\u00adtrolled en\u00advi\u00adron\u00adments. These meth\u00adods sup\u00adport pes\u00adti\u00adcide-free cul\u00adti\u00adva\u00adtion for health\u00adi\u00ader out\u00adputs.<\/p>\n
For Live\u00adstock<\/p>\n
1) Pre\u00adci\u00adsion mon\u00adi\u00adtor\u00ading sen\u00adsors- Wear\u00adable sen\u00adsors on an\u00adi\u00admals track vi\u00adtal signs like tem\u00adper\u00ada\u00adture, ac\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adty, and ru\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtion to de\u00adtect ear\u00adly ill\u00adness or stress, en\u00adabling time\u00adly in\u00adter\u00adven\u00adtions. GPS col\u00adlars pro\u00advide re\u00adal-time lo\u00adca\u00adtion da\u00adta for vir\u00adtu\u00adal fenc\u00ading, op\u00adti\u00admiz\u00ading graz\u00ading pat\u00adterns and pre\u00advent\u00ading over\u00adgraz\u00ading or stray\u00ading.<\/p>\n
2) Au\u00adto\u00admat\u00aded feed\u00ading sys\u00adtems- Pre\u00adci\u00adsion feed\u00ading tech us\u00ades sen\u00adsors and AI to de\u00adliv\u00ader cus\u00adtomized ra\u00adtions based on in\u00addi\u00advid\u00adual an\u00adi\u00admal needs, cut\u00adting feed waste by up to 20% and im\u00adprov\u00ading growth rates. Walk-over weigh\u00ading plat\u00adforms mon\u00adi\u00adtor weight gains au\u00adto\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly for bet\u00adter herd man\u00adage\u00adment.<\/p>\n
3) Health and re\u00adpro\u00adduc\u00adtion tech- AI-dri\u00adven cam\u00aderas and drones scan herds for lame\u00adness, in\u00adjuries, or breed\u00ading readi\u00adness, sup\u00adport\u00ading dis\u00adease pre\u00adven\u00adtion and re\u00adpro\u00adduc\u00adtive ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy. IoT sys\u00adtems in\u00adte\u00adgrate da\u00adta for pre\u00addic\u00adtive an\u00ada\u00adlyt\u00adics on out\u00adbreaks or heat stress.<\/p>\n
4) En\u00advi\u00adron\u00admen\u00adtal con\u00adtrols- Au\u00adto\u00admat\u00aded ven\u00adti\u00adla\u00adtion, wa\u00adter mon\u00adi\u00adtor\u00ading, and ro\u00adbot\u00adics in barns main\u00adtain op\u00adti\u00admal con\u00addi\u00adtions, boost\u00ading wel\u00adfare and meat\/milk qual\u00adi\u00adty. These tools col\u00adlec\u00adtive\u00adly low\u00ader an\u00adtibi\u00adot\u00adic use and emis\u00adsions.<\/p>\n
Im\u00adpor\u00adtance and ben\u00ade\u00adfits<\/p>\n
Agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies play a vi\u00adtal role in boost\u00ading pro\u00adduc\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adty and re\u00adsilience for T&Ts farm\u00ading sec\u00adtor, which faces cli\u00admate chal\u00adlenges like floods, droughts, and heat. They help ad\u00address food se\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty needs in this Caribbean na\u00adtion by en\u00adabling high\u00ader yields and sus\u00adtain\u00adable prac\u00adtices tai\u00adlored to lo\u00adcal con\u00addi\u00adtions. Tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies such as drones, mo\u00adbile apps, GIS map\u00adping, and wa\u00adter man\u00adage\u00adment sys\u00adtems like drip ir\u00adri\u00adga\u00adtion with soil sen\u00adsors help farm\u00aders cope with ex\u00adtreme weath\u00ader. These tools re\u00adduce crop stress from heavy rain or drought, im\u00adprov\u00ading nurs\u00adery man\u00adage\u00adment and pest con\u00adtrol for bet\u00adter re\u00adsilience. <\/p>\n
Pro\u00adtect\u00aded agri\u00adcul\u00adture (e.g., green\u00adhous\u00ades) and smart farm\u00ading with sen\u00adsors for soil mois\u00adture, nu\u00adtri\u00adents, and tem\u00adper\u00ada\u00adture boost out\u00adput per acre com\u00adpared to open fields. Pre\u00adci\u00adsion tools like fer\u00adti\u00adga\u00adtion and au\u00adtoma\u00adtion cut la\u00adbor, weeds, and costs while en\u00adabling year-round high-qual\u00adi\u00adty pro\u00adduce. Ver\u00adti\u00adcal farm\u00ading equiv\u00ada\u00adlents can match 10-20 acres of tra\u00addi\u00adtion\u00adal land on just one acre. These in\u00adno\u00adva\u00adtions low\u00ader pro\u00adduc\u00adtion ex\u00adpens\u00ades, in\u00adcrease farmer in\u00adcomes, and min\u00adi\u00admize post-har\u00advest loss\u00ades through bet\u00adter mar\u00adket con\u00adnec\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adty. Dig\u00adi\u00adti\u00adza\u00adtion projects, like those from CAF-FAO, en\u00adhance wa\u00adter re\u00adsource man\u00adage\u00adment dur\u00ading dry sea\u00adsons and sup\u00adport eco\u00adnom\u00adic di\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtion. Over\u00adall, they pro\u00admote na\u00adtion\u00adal food se\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty, nu\u00adtri\u00adtion, and sus\u00adtain\u00adable liveli\u00adhoods amid cli\u00admate risks.<\/p>\n
Hin\u00addrances to ac\u00adcess<\/p>\n
Sev\u00ader\u00adal key bar\u00adri\u00aders lim\u00adit farm\u00aders in Trinidad and To\u00adba\u00adgo from ac\u00adcess\u00ading and adopt\u00ading agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies like drip ir\u00adri\u00adga\u00adtion, pro\u00adtect\u00aded struc\u00adtures, and dig\u00adi\u00adtal tools. High up\u00adfront costs for equip\u00adment, such as so\u00adlar-pow\u00adered sys\u00adtems or green\u00adhous\u00ades, de\u00adter small\u00adhold\u00ader farm\u00aders who lack af\u00adford\u00adable loans or sub\u00adsi\u00addies. Lim\u00adit\u00aded fi\u00adnanc\u00ading schemes and heavy re\u00adliance on fu\u00adel sub\u00adsi\u00addies slow in\u00advest\u00adment in ef\u00adfi\u00adcient al\u00adter\u00adna\u00adtives, while eco\u00adnom\u00adic pres\u00adsures like fluc\u00adtu\u00adat\u00ading mar\u00adkets ex\u00adac\u00ader\u00adbate the is\u00adsue.<\/p>\n
In\u00adad\u00ade\u00adquate ac\u00adcess to re\u00adli\u00adable wa\u00adter, skilled tech\u00adni\u00adcians for in\u00adstal\u00adla\u00adtion and main\u00adte\u00adnance, and poor rur\u00adal in\u00adfra\u00adstruc\u00adture (e.g., roads, cold stor\u00adage) hin\u00adder tech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy roll\u00adout. Many ar\u00adeas suf\u00adfer from un\u00adre\u00adli\u00adable elec\u00adtric\u00adi\u00adty and ICT dis\u00adpar\u00adi\u00adties be\u00adtween ur\u00adban and rur\u00adal zones, re\u00adstrict\u00ading tools like sen\u00adsors or apps. Weak ex\u00adten\u00adsion ser\u00advices fail to pro\u00advide demon\u00adstra\u00adtions, train\u00ading, or proven ex\u00adam\u00adples, leav\u00ading farm\u00aders un\u00adaware of ben\u00ade\u00adfits or fear\u00adful of com\u00adplex\u00adi\u00adty. Lim\u00adit\u00aded tech\u00adni\u00adcal knowl\u00adedge, low dig\u00adi\u00adtal skills, and poor pol\u00adi\u00adcy co\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adtion be\u00adtween re\u00adsearch, en\u00adforce\u00adment, and end-users com\u00adpound re\u00adsis\u00adtance to change.<\/p>\n
Rec\u00adom\u00admen\u00adda\u00adtions<\/p>\n
T&T can en\u00adhance food se\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty and agribusi\u00adness ef\u00adfi\u00adcien\u00adcy by in\u00adte\u00adgrat\u00ading agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies tai\u00adlored to its trop\u00adi\u00adcal cli\u00admate and small\u00adhold\u00ader farm\u00ading sys\u00adtems. Gov\u00adern\u00adment-led strate\u00adgies should pri\u00ador\u00adi\u00adtize farmer ac\u00adces\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty, train\u00ading, and in\u00adcen\u00adtives to dri\u00adve adop\u00adtion in both farm\u00ading and man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading sec\u00adtors. Ex\u00adpand the Agro-In\u00adcen\u00adtive Pro\u00adgramme to sub\u00adsi\u00addize mod\u00adern tools like drip ir\u00adri\u00adga\u00adtion, soil sen\u00adsors, and pro\u00adtect\u00aded agri\u00adcul\u00adture struc\u00adtures, which boost yields and cli\u00admate re\u00adsilience. Of\u00adfer VAT ex\u00ademp\u00adtions on all ag-tech im\u00adports, in\u00adclud\u00ading drones and pre\u00adci\u00adsion equip\u00adment, while ty\u00ading re\u00adbates to ver\u00adi\u00adfied pro\u00adduc\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adty gains. <\/p>\n
Launch\u00ading na\u00adtion\u00adwide work\u00adshops through the Min\u00adistry of Agri\u00adcul\u00adture, fo\u00adcus\u00ading on dig\u00adi\u00adtal tools such as mo\u00adbile apps for crop mon\u00adi\u00adtor\u00ading, GIS map\u00adping, and hy\u00addro\u00adpon\u00adics\/aquapon\u00adics sys\u00adtems will aid in this ef\u00adfort. Col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adrate with UWI, UTT, IICA, FAO and CAR\u00adDI to cer\u00adti\u00adfy farm\u00aders in cli\u00admate-smart prac\u00adtices, em\u00adpha\u00adsiz\u00ading wa\u00adter-ef\u00adfi\u00adcient fer\u00adti\u00adga\u00adtion and pest man\u00adage\u00adment tech. Tar\u00adget youth and women via vir\u00adtu\u00adal cours\u00ades to build a skilled work\u00adforce. In\u00advest in off-grid so\u00adlar-pow\u00adered fa\u00adcil\u00adi\u00adties for rur\u00adal pro\u00adcess\u00ading plants, en\u00adabling cold chain lo\u00adgis\u00adtics and val\u00adue-added man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading. De\u00advel\u00adop shared tech hubs with high-speed in\u00adter\u00adnet for re\u00adal-time da\u00adta an\u00ada\u00adlyt\u00adics in sup\u00adply chains. Up\u00adgrade ex\u00adten\u00adsion ser\u00advices with dig\u00adi\u00adtal plat\u00adforms for on\u00adgo\u00ading farmer ad\u00advi\u00adso\u00adry, sim\u00adi\u00adlar to FAO-backed pi\u00adlots.<\/p>\n
Fund R&D for lo\u00adcal\u00adly adapt\u00aded tech, such as drought-tol\u00ader\u00adant trans\u00adplants and au\u00adto\u00admat\u00aded green\u00adhous\u00ades, through pub\u00adlic-pri\u00advate ties with Caribbean in\u00adno\u00adva\u00adtors. in\u00adcen\u00adtivize man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading tech like au\u00adto\u00admat\u00aded pack\u00adag\u00ading and qual\u00adi\u00adty sen\u00adsors to meet ex\u00adport stan\u00addards. Mon\u00adi\u00adtor progress via KPIs like yield in\u00adcreas\u00ades and tech adop\u00adtion rates, ad\u00adjust\u00ading based on an\u00adnu\u00adal au\u00addits.<\/p>\n
Riyadh Mo\u00adhammed (LLM, MBA, MSC, BSC, DIP)<\/p>\n
Lead Agri\u00adcul\u00adture Con\u00adsul\u00adtant<\/p>\n
Trop\u00adi\u00adcal Agri\u00adcul\u00adture Con\u00adsul\u00adtan\u00adcy Ser\u00advices<\/p>\n
1 868 307 5444<\/p>\n