Saying YEAP to entrepreneurship

An initiative of the Agriculture Ministry, bptt and CARIRI, the programme was divided into three workshops, during which participants were taught to make sauces, candied fruits and pickled vegetables.

The certificate presentation ceremony was held on April 7, at the BP Mayaro Resource Center, Mayaro, and Senator Rambharat asked the young people to share their most outstanding learning experience.

“I am extremely proud of you and I look forward to purchasing your processed products soon.” The Minister noted that CARIRI “is a very reputable organisation in Trinidad and Tobago in terms of hygiene, product testing; and they have done a lot of excellent work over the years so I was happy to have CARIRI offer their services.” Expressing public appreciation to the project’s main sponsor bptt, the Minister said he was not surprised that the energy company had partnered on a project such as this, which has the potential to increase revenues for households in rural communities.

Workshop training was provided with the intention of enhancing entrepreneurs’ awareness and application of agro-processing principles.

An amalgamation of 60 participants spent one day for each of the three courses understanding the theoretical and practical aspects of mastering each product line. The workshops were the precursor for entrants into CARIRI’s Business Hatchery Programme. Each workshop also featured a segment on good manufacturing practices.

Topics covered included introduction to local food regulations; developing a cleaning and sanitation programme; pest management and control strategies; proper storage; facility and equipment design considerations; and personal hygiene practices.

The objective of YEAP is to foster the development of entrepreneurship among the young people of the Rio Claro/Mayaro area, initially, through carefully planned interventions designed to create a more entrepreneurial- driven approach to development of the agri-food sector. The programme represents a cross-collaboration effort between CARIRI’s Business Hatchery Programme and its Biotechnology Unit, which is aimed at creating innovative, commercially viable startups that will improve the efficiency and sustainability of the agri-business sector in Trinidad and Tobago