News Releases

Students, community partner with UWI for World Food Day Tree Planting event

For Release Upon Receipt - October 29, 2019

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Friday 18 October, 2019 – On the morning of Wednesday, October 16 The UWI St. Augustine’s Agriculture Innovation Park in Trincity was abuzz with activity for the ‘105 to Stay Alive’ tree planting ceremony in commemoration of World Food Day. The event was hosted by the Campus’ Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA).  The crowd of volunteer planters that gathered included students and staff of the Faculty, members of the National 4H Council and students from schools in the vicinity of the St. Augustine Campus, in particular CSEC students pursuing Agricultural Science.

World Food Day, recognised annually on October 16, was created by the international Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) and is celebrated by over 150 countries in the world. This year the FFA showed its support for the World Food Day theme Healthy Diets for a #ZeroHunger World with the planting of 105 breadfruit trees. While at the tree planting ceremony, FFA Dean Professor Wayne Ganpat stated, ‘The FFA is pleased to be a part of this initiative. We choose to promote the breadfruit to the national community because it is a nutritious source of food, can be prepared in a variety of ways, grows successfully in a range of soil types and can be easily managed.’

Research has shown that the breadfruit is no ordinary crop. The super food, popularly known in the Caribbean, has diverse characteristics and is loaded with carbohydrates, antioxidants, calcium, dietary fiber, magnesium, niacin and omega-3. Breadfruit trees are one of the highest yielding food plants known and one tree can produce anywhere between 50 to 150 fruits per year.

Please find below some photographs captured at the ‘105 to Stay Alive’ World Food Day Tree Planting event with corresponding captions. You can also download these and other photos by clicking here

Professor Wayne Ganpat, Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture at The UWI St Augustine Campus, addresses the audience at the ‘105 to Stay Alive’ World Food Day Tree Planting

Mr Omardath Maharaj, Agricultural Economist and Professor Wayne Ganpat, Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture at The UWI St Augustine Campus greet staff and students of the Good Shepherd Anglican Primary School at the ‘105 to Stay Alive’ World Food Day Tree Planting

 Students of the Good Shepherd Anglican Primary School are assisted by teachers while planting breadfruit trees at the Agricultural Innovation Park for The UWI St. Augustine Faculty of Food and Agriculture’s ‘105 to Stay Alive’ World Food Day Tree Planting 

 

 

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