News Releases

The UWI and NFM Partner to Drive Food Security and Innovation for Trinidad & Tobago

For Release Upon Receipt - November 4, 2024

St. Augustine


 

ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. November 4, 2024 – The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus, and The National Flour Mills Limited (NFM) formalised their unified commitment to food security, reducing Trinidad and Tobago’s food import dependency, and fostering agricultural innovation by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on October 29, 2024.

This joint initiative aims to create a framework for ongoing collaboration in Professional Education, Research and Development, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Training. The partnership builds on NFM’s expertise as Trinidad and Tobago’s top agro-processor and positions The UWI’s research and educational resources as catalysts for a more sustainable, self-sufficient regional food system.

Through this partnership, UWI and NFM will pursue a range of initiatives to drive local food security and innovation. These initiatives are centred on: Sustainable Animal Feed Research using agricultural by-products to create more sustainable, locally-produced feed solutions. Professional Training and capacity building Programmes to educate and train technical personnel and local beneficiaries. Commercialization of Feasible Research that will turn undergraduate and postgraduate findings into actionable, real-world solutions for the food industry. Internships and Capacity-Building opportunities to provide UWI students with hands-on experience and career pathways within local agriculture.

 

Speaking at the event, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Antoine emphasised that the NFM has always supported the research of The UWI, and this recent alliance helps showcase the university's ongoing innovations. Professor Antonine called on more public and private stakeholders to collaborate with The UWI to promote “the great research and productivity, the output, not just in the sciences, but in the arts and humanities, in the social sciences, and in every faculty, the great research, the great commitment, which sometimes gets lost.”

In his welcome remarks, Dean of The Faculty of Food and Agriculture Professor Mark Wuddivira explained that The UWI has extensively researched alternative flours using peas, pumpkins, melongenes, and ground provisions for over 30 years. This undertaking simultaneously builds local food systems and addresses the global food crisis partially caused by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war between Ukraine and Russia.

 

NFM’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Ian Mitchell asserted that the MOU is in line with NFM’s drive as this country’s top agro-processor to capitalise on opportunities within the agricultural sector. As the region’s premier university, Mr. Mitchell stated that partnering with The UWI is part of leading by example to feed Caribbean families. He stated that professional education is at the core of this commitment, “when I think about what the Faculty of Food and Agriculture is doing, I understand what your mission is. Advancing education, training, research, innovation, public service, intellectual leadership, and outreach.”

This MOU with the NFM is just one formal way The UWI engages stakeholders to showcase the research from the campus community. Professor Antonie has given her commitment to harnessing the potential and increasing awareness of the institution’s research projects by visiting rural areas, hosting research fairs, and entering into more public-private MOUs.

 

About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier, higher education institution. One of only two regional universities in the world, it comprises five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE).

Learn more at www.uwi.edu

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