– crab meat processing plant for Region One
Government, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, is increasing efforts to provide the necessary support and interventions required in hinterland communities for sustaining livelihood and transformation of village economies. Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, at a press conference yesterday, stated that the National Secure Livelihood Programme, a Government initiative currently ongoing in Region One, is progressing. She added that construction on a building in Imbotero will commence later this month to facilitate a crab fattening processing plant.
According to Minister Sukhai, the facility will enable the processing and preservation of frozen crab and crab meat.
The crab meat will be well packaged, but in the initial phase of the plant, will be provided in shells. The project will be extended in the future to provide meat that will be packaged to meet local and international standards.
Minister Sukhai also mentioned that other plants to facilitate processing of cassava and ginger will begin shortly as part of the livelihood programme.
The programme not only seeks to expand production of locally grown produce, but also processing of value added products from the local produce, thereby extending the shelf life of the products.
According to Minister Sukhai, the support that these communities are being given, both now and in the future, will enable them to make available to the international market products such as ginger powder, ginger concentrate, passion fruit concentrate and cassava by- products such as casareep.
The National Hinterland Secure Livelihood Programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, in collaboration with the Voluntary Services Overseas International (VSO), aimed at addressing the challenges to economic development in Amerindian villages and hinterland communities.
The programme is being rolled out as a pilot project in 15 communities in Region One, and is a form of economic diversification which provides employment opportunities, food security and generates income.
Several communities in Region One, including Tobago, Hobodai, Hotoquai, Arukamai, Kamwatta, Whitewater and Wauna, are being monitored to ascertain the progress of the projects.
Catching crabs is one of the major economic activities for residents in Imbotero, since the environment is suitable, but the crab fattening technique being employed is new.
Minister Sukhai highlighted that the continued success of the project in Region One will chart the way for other communities to benefit from the National Hinterland Secure Livelihood Programme. (GINA)