During the second term of the 2024/2025 Academic Year, Cari-Bois partnered with the Scotiabank Foundation to empower ten (10) students with climate journalism skills as part of the third edition of Cari-Bois’ Youth Journalism Project. For their first assignment, students wrote an article about the effects of climate change on agriculture. This story was written by Kelvin Seepaul of Brazil Secondary School.
Agriculture refers to the process by which crops are grown and animals are reared to produce raw materials for consumption by humans in different forms.
With the importance of agriculture to human lives and livelihoods, increasing focus has been placed on the effects of climate change on agricultural activities.
Given the speed in which climatic changes are occurring, the volatile and extreme weather patterns that are occurring in countries because of this climate change has a major effect on agriculture which depends on stable and consistent weather patterns.
Prolonged and frequent droughts, and floods, in areas that do not experience these extreme events can – or experience these events frequently, disrupt growing seasons and increase pest infestations.
In a recent interview with farmer Nolan Herrera, he shared the challenges he has faced because of climate change in the past several years.
Farming since his teenage years in Brazil Village, Trinidad, Herrera is now 35 years and produces cucumber, plantain, hot peppers, pimento and melongene.
His methods of farming include slash and burn as well as crop rotation.
When asked if extreme weather events like floods and prolonged droughts were a problem for his farming activities during his younger years, Herrera said it was not a problem.
But when asked about recent years, Herrera said the growing conditions during seasons were becoming more unpredictable which affected his farming activities.
He explained, “The extreme weather conditions have affected the amount I am able to produce.
I have tried to adapt by digging ponds to water the fields in periods of dry spells as well.
I have made some drains in my fields which help with the flooding.”
Though some farmers in Trinidad and Tobago are now trying new technologies and practices to increase their production, in light of these changes to growing conditions, Herrera shared he was not comfortable using these new strategies.
“I prefer to stick with the methods I am accustomed to.”
It is clear that the effects of climate change on agriculture are widespread in Trinidad and Tobago.
Harsh drought conditions in years like 2019 and 2024 has contributed to water scarcity in those years (and other years with persistent conditions), which all which affects crop growth and livestock productivity.
On the other extreme, intense rainfall and floods in years like 2018 and 2022 can also destroy crops and damage farmland.
Pest and disease increase because the warmer conditions create favorable conditions for pests and diseases to thrive in.
This further impacts the crop production and loss of agricultural land.
Coastal farm areas like Manzanilla and Mayaro become vulnerable to flooding of salt water due to sea level rising.
However, there are several ways to mitigate against the negative effects of climate change.
For example, farmers can improve their infrastructure by digging more drains and ponds to collect the water from heavy rainfall for the droughts while new technologies can be employed to maximize production in the face of emerging challenges.
Since every person is dependent on agriculture, everyone should become involved in the efforts to make Trinidad and Tobago’s agriculture sector more climate resilient.
A very special thank you to the Scotiabank Foundation for supporting the development of young people through initiatives like the Cari-Bois Youth Journalism Project.
