Tobago’s youth are being encouraged to make the best of the opportunities currently available in the agriculture sector.

This advice came from Secretary of Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries Hayden Spencer during Wednesday’s (July 18) post Executive Council media briefing.

Recently, the THA’s Business Development Unit (BDU) and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) hosted a three-day agriculture workshop in Tobago. At least 80 people from the agriculture sector attended the session, including new graduates of the Youth Apprenticeship Programme in Agriculture (YAPA).

Spencer said the ADB team presented and explained various loan packages now available to farmers, including a new vehicle package loan with 100 percent financing. There is also a fishing package with the option to purchase vessels, equipment and a disaster relief loan.

In addition there is a new loan for “young people now starting off in agriculture”, the Food Production Secretary said.

He added: “…And I must indicate that Tobago is the first area that the Agriculture Development Bank would have rolled out this programme in Trinidad and Tobago.”

He is urging the young people to take advantage of the available funding.