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UWI Eat Local Day 2022: A country that cannot feed itself is not truly independent

For Release Upon Receipt - December 20, 2022

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Tuesday 20 December 2022- The University of the West Indies St Augustine Campus: Earlier this month, on December 7, the St. Augustine Campus of The University of the West Indies, drew hundreds of schoolchildren, teachers, parents and the agricultural sector to its University Field Station in Mount Hope for an 'Eat Local Day'. Its aim, as Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine succinctly put it, is to drive home the message that, “A country that cannot feed itself is not truly independent... you plant your food, you eat your food.”

 Assistant Lecturer in Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship and Organizer of Eat Local Day, Mr Omardath Maharaj, agreed. "Grow what you eat; eat what you grow." He explained further: “Food sovereignty is a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution." Regrettably, he pointed out, "this is in contrast to the present corporate food regime, in which corporations and market institutions control the global food system.”

 The increasing challenge of climate change is linked to food security. Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, Dr Mark Wuddivira, noted that, "despite the looming challenges of climate change and our vulnerability to food and nutrition insecurity, my prayer is that through our efforts, our country will rise to ensure that everyone on our shores has regular access to sufficient, locally produced, nutritious food.”

 Eat Local first began in 2012, in cooperation with the Tableland Pineapple Farmers Association. The UWI was then proud to partner with the 4-H Leaders Council in 2014 and has been nurturing this partnership for the past eleven years.

 This year’s focus was on food sovereignty and celebrating entrepreneurial potential. University research, paired with the essential corporate and citizen support, work together to solve common problems that impact production and action on the theme. Awards were presented to agricultural entrepreneurs and advocates on the day.

 END

About the Awardees

 Mr Ramdeo Boondoo, Chaconia Medal Gold awardee, ‘The Sweet Potato King’, President of the Roots and Tubers Producers Association. Mr. Boondoo is a pioneer in the root crop industry and has been working on developing a sweet potato that combines the climate-resilient qualities of the traditional “chicken foot” variety popular in Trinidad with the uniform shape of the American Centennial sweet potato.

Ms Keera-Marie Mohammed, UWI graduate, 1st class honours in Visual Arts

A massive, exquisitely painted mural now adorns one of the walls at the Faculty of Food and Agriculture. The 22ft x 9ft mural was executed by Keera-Marie Mohammed who was only 19 years old at the time under the watchful eyes of her father, Master Artist Kerryn.

Ms Natasha Lee, President of the 4-H Leaders Council of Trinidad and Tobago, Vice-Principal at Exchange R.C. School and You-tuber. Mrs. Lee copped the 2nd place award in the Microsoft-sponsored E-Connect and Learn Competition. She is heavily involved in the 4-H movement, developing a sustainable aquaponics system and an impressive garden at her school and other schools for whom she sourced funding.

About The University of the West Indies

 The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.

 From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Monain Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hillin Barbados, Five IslandsinAntigua and Barbuda and itsOpen Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

 The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

 The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

 The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. 

 For more, visit www.uwi.edu

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