- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 29/Jun 08:38

YAHP farmers: We were not ‘misled’ by ministry

PARTICIPANTS of the Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) have rejected claims by Agriculture Minister Ravi Ratiram that they were “misled” or “used for political gains” by the previous administration. They said while certain delays have been frustrating, the benefits of the programme outweigh that. About YAHP YAHP launched in 2022 under the Ministry of Youth Development and National Services for those aged 18-35. The ministry’s website said it aimed to "equip young people with the skills to become successful 21st-century agribusiness entrepreneurs.” It outlined year one as “comprehensive training” in crop production and animal husbandry. Then, students would gain access to two acres of land each, technical and financial support ($20,000 grant) ahead of year two, which would include practical training on the land. Once completed, they would become land leaseholders. It also said selected applicants would be required to enrol in a full-time programme with the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry campus. Newsday obtained a copy of the lease-to-own agreement (LTO), which says the homestead will include a starter home and shed for 54 months. The fee for the agreement was $1. [caption id="attachment_1163472" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Newsday reporter Narissa Fraser records a video of farmlands at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service's Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) site in Chatham on June 26. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] Licensees are responsible for “all operational services” required on the homestead and cannot modify the home without written consent. They must also “use their best endeavours to expel any people poaching or trespassing on the homestead.” They also cannot have any illegal substances or engage in criminal activity there. It also says applicants would be given a daily stipend of $112.50 for the first six months of occupying the homestead. Under the PNM, soldiers were deployed to provide security at the 400-acre site in Chatham, South Trinidad. Programme now under probe Ratiram was quoted in the media last week as saying the programme will now be under investigation as the previous administration “misled” participants. The newspaper report quoted Ratiram as saying no promises were kept, starter homes are “nowhere to be seen,” and the PNM “used” the young people for political gains. He added that while the ministry will not scrap the programme, it will be evaluated and reassessed “to ensure it can be restructured into a meaningful initiative.” Farmers: We were not misled Newsday visited the homestead farm in Chatham on June 26 and met at least a dozen farmers working the land. Some shared their thoughts on Ratiram’s comments and the programme. Wtih the change in government in April, the soldiers are no longer at the site. Mark Boneo said despite his starter home being incomplete, he does not feel misled or duped. To him, having the two acres of land has been a blessing. “The thing is, we have to understand that within the political landscape of any project this size, you will be faced with many challenges. And, of course, many hurdles occur in the developmental phase. So, to say that I was lied to or tricked…no.” He admitted that certain timelines were not achieved and kept changing. But, “This is an entrepreneurial programme. And in the face of entrepreneurship, one of the first things you need is tolerance for ambiguity. [caption id="attachment_1163473" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The starter homes at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service's Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) farmlands in Chatham. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] “There's no straight path. You will always find obstacles in anything you do. So I will encourage any entrepreneur, anything that you're doing, granted, you know, you have certain expectations, there's no smooth path and no perfect road ahead.” He said he is simply grateful for the opportunity but that, of course, “I just wish that the entire thing would be completed. He said it is not uncommon for a new administration to look into programmes which started under the previous one. “I don’t object. However, I will always be happy if these things are done efficiently and within a reasonable time frame. And depending on what the findings are, I guess they will have to be the judge on how they will continue.” He runs a seed bank and stressed the importance of food security. “In TT, we really need to protect some of the local varieties that we have that are so important to us. I already have seeds testing in 12 Caricom islands, so the intention here is not only to sell locally but to share these varieties with the other parts of the Caribbean. And it's very important to have access to somewhere where you can do that.” He concluded, “Food security has no race, it has no ethnicity and no party. I am very willing to work with anybody who is in line with making TT a more food-secure place, especially given global uncertainties.” Patrick Aquing is currently doing a degree in agriculture and entrepreneurship at UTT. [caption id="attachment_1163474" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Farmer Patrick Aquing at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service's Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) farmlands in Chatham. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] “Through YAHP, I saw the opportunities that agriculture had and I decided to further my education to improve my skills, techniques...” He, too, disagrees with the agenda that they were tricked or lied to. Aquing’s starter home is completed, but since no keys were distributed, he cannot use it. It is a delay and hurdle he finds frustrating. But he remains hopeful. He said he could also understand some of the contributing factors. “Since last July, they had intended for us to operate as soon as possible. But it was really just the clearance on the Land Settlement Agency's part for allowing us to be on the land while they're doing the construction. That was the issue because they didn't want to have any kind of safety liabilities, anybody getting injured by any equipment…” He added that there were some were not bothered by the fact that they were not immediately getting the starter homes. [caption id="attachment_1163475" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Overgrown bushes surround this billboard at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service's Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) farmlands in Chatham. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] “They were just eager to start using the land so they were grateful. But not everyone would have been enduring the same circumstances.” He is currently doing land preparation and typically plants seasonings. However, he also addressed another type of food security – protection from praedial larceny. Soldiers guarded the lands before but he said they were removed around April. Farmers took the matter into their own hands and installed security cameras. In fact, when Newsday spoke to Boneo just before Aquing, he had said he “already knew” there was someone in the area. Aquing continued, People would have to abandon the lands to go back home and you don't know what might happen any night, especially when your crops mature and are ready for harvest.” So far, someone has uprooted one of the farmers’ zaboca trees. Another farmer who opted not to be named said he did not feel like the ministry was as organised as it could have been, especially to maintain timelines. “We went into an agreement and the time was important. So, for me, who trying to set up operations, it costing me. I sacrificed two years of my life with the intention of doing something I really love, which is agriculture. And they haven’t gotten it in the timeframe they expected.” But he still maintained he was not misled. Construction on his starter home still has not begun, and he lives in the east. He is considering investing in a container as a “temporary fix.” But he said he hopes the new government can assist. “The minister sounded like he sympathised with our plight so I am hoping he will give us support.” ‘Programme created a community’ Diahann Chunisingh said the programme helped a lot of young people. [caption id="attachment_1163476" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Farmer Diahann Chunisingh at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service’s Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) farmlands in Chatham. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] “The only thing is the fulfilment of the promise to complete the house…Some people haven’t gotten their grants yet but I got mine, signed the LTO for the land but my house has not been started as yet. And the majority of the houses in our phase were completed. In this phase, there were 22 houses, and they moved on to another phase with 100-and-something houses.” She hails from Arima. She said not having this has been “keeping her back.” “It’s a pull and it’s difficult for us to come down and see our land every day. We have to be here.” She said while she has access to the land, contractors have been preventing her from using it because “They don’t want our farming work to interfere with the construction of the houses so we have to wait.” But she said several people from different phases of the programme have been able to begin using their land, and she was there to assist. She said the programme also created a community. On claims that the programme was used as a political gimmick, she said, “That was never my impression. My impression was that this was to educate a lot of young people to get them in the right mindset to be able to help their families and the country as a whole. I’ve never seen it like anything linked to a particular political party.” She said the general consensus among the groups is that they are grateful but urgently need the homes to be completed. She rears sheep and goats. Shania Dehere said while things have not been “moving as fast as we’d like it to be,” she has faith that all promises will be honoured. She is interested in poultry and agri-tourism. Clevon Oliver rubbished claims of farmers being “betrayed” by the ministry. But he highlighted some additional issues. For instance, participants have not been able to access a farmer’s badge. “I applied, but we were told the dollar receipt for the lease that was supposed to be paid for the students, it can't be produced. We don't know what to do.” The badge, he explains, gives access to “subsidies, incentives, reduced prices on chemicals, feed, fertiliser, tractor services.” He lives in east Trinidad and moved with his family to Chatham after being told the starter homes would be ready soon. He opted to rent as he waited, thinking it would be short-term. But his house still has not been built. [caption id="attachment_1163478" align="alignnone" width="683"] Farmer Clevon Oliver at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service's Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) site in Chatham.- Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] “Making ends meet is challenging sometimes. But integrating myself in the community, I'm always able to find jobs that cater to my skillset. And then I'm able to take a portion of the day and come here.” Another challenge was that some of the land given to the farmers had a lot of trees to be cleared, which they have to pay for themselves, he added. But in spite of all this, he said getting those two acres of land was “a dream come true. “And we don't intend to squander it or let it go or even allow the opportunity for that lease to pass.” Asked if he would have still enrolled if he knew it would be plagued with delays, he said, “Yes because a chance is better than no chance.” His colleague, Joseph Britto agreed with him. Dharnel Duprey thinks no student should feel as if they were misled. “We have houses being built but just maybe not as fast as we would like it to be. But we have access to our land.” He, too, has a completed starter home. [caption id="attachment_1163479" align="alignnone" width="683"] Farmer Dharnel Duprey at the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service's Youth Agricultural Homestead Programme (YAHP) site in Chatham.- Lincoln Holder[/caption] “I hope politics don't get in the way of this programme because it's very useful to the youths. We are happy for the opportunity.” Currently residing in Diego Martin, he said he would move to Chatham fully once he can use the home there. Newsday understands some who have not yet received there grants either submitted their business registration and banking information late or did not submit them at all for NEDCO (National Entrepreneurship Development Company Ltd) to dispense the funds. The process has been halted.   The post YAHP farmers: We were not ‘misled’ by ministry appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.