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Strategic Priority – Agriculture and Food
Security
Agriculture
275.
The programme of works under the Agriculture Sector will be funded with an
appropriation of $165.43 million for investment in the fiscal year 2014.
276.
In 2014, Government will remain committed to achieving its goal of Trinidad and
Tobago becoming a Food Secure Nation by 2015. The programme of work will continue
to focus on the diversification of the sector, the infusion of new technologies, skills and
infrastructure to ensure that previous and new initiatives are supported.
277.
For fiscal year 2014 therefore, the budget proposed for investment in the
Agriculture Sector is $285.9 million to be administered mainly by the Ministry of Food
Production and $30.7 million under the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The funds
budgeted for the Ministry of Food Production will be sourced from the IDF ($42 million)
and the Consolidated Fund ($123.4 million). The resources will be utilised for land
development for farmers, provision of irrigation systems and access roads; upgrade of
fishing centres, development of the agriculture business; and the continuation of scientific
research and development into new agricultural technologies.
Land Development
278.
Well-developed road infrastructure supports the farming community by ensuring
easy access to lands and to markets. Road access, effective drainage and irrigation
systems secure crops from inclement weather conditions, thereby improving fluctuations
of costs at markets. The following projects will be funded in fiscal 2014, in the amount
of $43.5 million, sourced from both the Consolidated Fund and the IDF:
GOAL
A FOOD SECURE NATION
MAIN OUTCOMES:
ADEQUATE AND AFFORDABLE FOOD
AGRICULTURE WILL BE A VIABLE
SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY
