Farley End Food Dependency
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has issued a stark warning regarding Tobago’s vulnerability to external food shocks, declaring that food security must be treated as a matter of national security. Speaking at a Tobago People’s Party (TPP) meeting ahead of the upcoming elections, Augustine argued that the island cannot continue to rely on « cargo boats » and fair weather for its daily sustenance.
Augustine contended that true security requires the population to « go back to the land » and stop the wastage of local produce, such as mangoes and breadfruit, which often rot on the ground. To support this shift, he announced a significant « million-dollar contract » currently underway in Louis d’Or to establish a state-of-the-art facility for agro-processors.
The Chief Secretary detailed that this new venue will meet all international ISO standards for export, allowing local producers to move beyond their home kitchens. He explained that the facility will operate on a shared-use model, where entrepreneurs can book appointments to access commercial-grade equipment, process their goods—such as ice cream or seasonings—and then clean up and leave. This approach aims to help producers meet market demand without the prohibitive cost of purchasing industrial machinery individually.
Furthermore, Augustine addressed the logistical challenges currently facing the sector. He noted the difficulty of sending perishable samples to Trinidad for testing at institutions like CARIRI. In response, he pledged to establish laboratory services directly on the island, ensuring that food testing and safety certification can be conducted locally to facilitate faster and more efficient production cycles.
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