Minister praises media

Media coverage of the agricultural sector has the potential to spur investment, innovation, agri-entrepreneurship and stimulate general interest in the sector. 

So said Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj while delivering the feature address on Saturday at the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture and Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (IICA/Cardi) 2013 Media Awards for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism awards ceremony at Capital Plaza, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. 

Maharaj lauded the entire media fraternity for its critical and thought-provoking coverage of the agricultural sector from 2009 to 2013. A total of 50 entries were submitted for the panel’s deliberation on the theme “Food Security In Our Hands/Linking Policies and Practices.” The awards ceremony was also held against the backdrop of the International Year of Family Farms. 

Maharaj said: “We are the only Caricom country that has these awards. The potential (agriculture) often goes unrecognised and, as a result, is untapped. This is where you, the media, come in. You determine what is newsworthy. You shape how citizens see the world around them. You influence what citizens see as important or not. The power you hold is immense and undeniable.”

To read more: Minister praises media

Adapted from Trinidad Express

By by Michelle Loubon