It’s better to give than to receive

While there is a strong lobby to do more for nature and the environment, local stakeholder groups have gone beyond the call. Fishing and farming associations in Trinidad and Tobago are now promoting stakeholder-led education in an effort to sensitise children, students, policy-makers and the general public of the realities faced by those whose livelihood depends on Mother Earth.

On this milestone, agricultural economist and lead consultant Omardath Maharaj says “reducing vehicle emissions, pollution and unsustainable agriculture and fishing practices is as much an economic imperative as it is a social or environmental one. Displacing and disadvantaging the commodity value chains will shift or deplete our food sources while we ourselves, neither have the liberty to easily shift the source of livelihoods nor our taste and preferences.”

President of the Felicity Charlieville Fishing Association (FCFA) David Bachan concludes that “at this time it is better to give back to the earth more than the benefit of what has been harvested over the years.”

iTHINK Global Consulting Services has been partnering with the FCFA, Tableland Pineapple Farmers Association and other stakeholder groups in a number of activities designed to increase public education and awareness of the fishery, agriculture, environment, holistic lifestyles but as well to improve the socio-economic circumstances of those in rural and coastal communities while promoting youth engagement.

To read full article: It’s better to give than to receive

Taken from Trinidad Express Newspapers