News Releases

Celebrating 100 years of Agriculture – in Film

For Release Upon Receipt - December 12, 2024

St. Augustine


 

 Publications commemorating FFA’s 100-year milestone at the launch of the ‘Celebrating 100 years of Agriculture’ documentary. Photo by Joshu Morris.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. December 12, 2024 – Set against the backdrop of a newly independent Trinidad and Tobago, the ‘Celebrating 100 years of Agriculture’ documentary explores how the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA), an institution founded during British colonial rule to address tropical agriculture challenges worldwide, became the St Augustine Campus of The University of the West Indies. 

 Celebrating 100 Years of Agriculture takes viewers on this historical journey through rare archival footage and compelling interviews with UWI alumni, faculty, and historians. The film unveils how ICTA was changed from a colonial training ground into a thriving institution for Caribbean-led agricultural research and education. It examines the hurdles and achievements of the first cohort of The UWI, the effects of independence movements, and the incorporation of indigenous practices and modern innovations that address today’s environmental and food security issues.

 This documentary is a tribute to the Faculty of Food and Agriculture which has produced generations of Caribbean leaders and agricultural scientists, including a World Laureate, all of whom have redefined the role of agriculture in the region and paved the way for a sustainable future rooted in self-reliance, innovation, and community empowerment.

 The launch and premiere were co-hosted by Professor Mark Wuddivira, Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, and Professor Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education.

Professor Wuddivira pointed out that the documentary captures this remarkable journey, from ICTA’s beginnings to the UCWI in 1960, and eventually to The UWI as we know it today.

“It is a story of resilience, adaptation, and impact, embodied by the alumni, some of whom we are delighted to have with us this evening. Your pioneering spirit has laid a foundation that inspires us still.”

Dean Walcott-Hackshaw agreed: “Documentaries play a seminal role in helping us to remember these narratives, and to curate and archive what otherwise could be lost were the stories not told and recorded. The need for documentation is important for the Campus and for The UWI as a whole. In many ways I have felt that the history of The UWI represents the aspiration of what is possible when different areas of the Caribbean come together, symbolizing perhaps the past hope of a federation (but that is another story)”.

Deputy Campus Principal Professor Derek Chadee was celebratory of the journey which spans 1921 to 2021. It represents, he said, “our firm commitment to prioritising agriculture and food security in the region. In fact, as Principal Antoine often boasts, the FFA is the only such Faculty across the region. Throughout the years, the FFA’s mandate and responsibility have evolved with the changing needs of our society. Despite the many transitions, what has remained is the commitment to advancing agriculture, supporting local and regional governments and other key stakeholders to achieve developmental goals, and training the human resources required for local and regional food security and sustainability.”

Permanent Secretary (Ag) of the Ministry of Education, Ms Gwyneth Morris-Alexander, who represented Dr. the Hon Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, delivered a feature address on “Linking the Present with the Past”.

 For more information, contact the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, ffa@uwi.edu or visit https://sta.uwi.edu/ffa/

 End

 

 Delivering remarks at the launch at the launch of the ‘Celebrating 100 years of Agriculture’ documentary, Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture Professor Mark Wuddivira. Photo by Joshu Morris.

 

Group photo of all attendees at the launch of the the ‘Celebrating 100 years of Agriculture’ documentary. Photo by Joshu Morris.

Professor Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education delivering remarks at the launch of the ‘Celebrating 100 years of Agriculture’ documentary. Photo by Joshu Morris.

 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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