Seven workers of the Underemployment Relief Programme (URP) are participating in the Farmer’s Field of Cassava Agronomy training programme.

Pathleen Titus, technical advisor in the Division of Food Production Forestry and Fisheries said the Farmer’s Field School was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization. It’s an opportunity to give farmers hands-on training in several areas.

“Farmers learn by doing,” Titus said, “[so] it’s a participatory approach to learning how to grow a crop. How the crop is grown, you select the site right down to the harvesting, some areas even includes processing.”

The initiative is part of the URP’s mandate to help improve agricultural development in Tobago. Over an eight-month period, trainees will be exposed to a number topics, including theories and practices on growing conditions, soil type and land preparation.