The agricultural sectors of Trinidad and Tobago and many other CARICOM countries are characterised by low and declining contributions to their GDPs, aging farming populations and a lack of interest and investment by young adults. The results of this are extremely high food import bills and nations burdened with current and future food insecurity.

One of the main reasons identified for this decline is the lack of financial attractiveness in the sector to young entrepreneurs. One theory put forward for sector growth and sustainability   advocates the primary producer obtaining a greater share in the value chain of the products they produce.

In this regard, a new approach, the Incubator Project, has been adopted by Biosciences, Agriculture and Food Production Technologies (BAFT) programmes to encourage students to become entrepreneurs.

Within the Incubator Project, students are given the tools to develop new and innovative products, conduct feasibility analyses, develop realistic cash flows and do business plans. Each student is expected to graduate having developed and implemented a project, which is technically feasible, financially viable and which they could go on to fully implement with the guidance of the team at uSTART, which is UTT's Business Accelerator Programme.

The philosophical underpinning of the BAFT Incubator Project is vertical integration. In this regard, students are encouraged to develop innovative and creative ways to add value to primary products, so that farmers get maximum benefit from the entire process.

Recently, the graduating class of 2015 did their annual presentations, where they were required to present a summary of their business plans, highlighting the following areas:

• The Project Rationale
• The Market Size
• The Market Segments
• Market Share and Strategy
• Technology to be Used
• Project Location
• Plant/Equipment Size/Project Size
• Establishment Costs
• Summary of Financial Results

The presentations were judged by a panel of three persons: Mrs. Ermine Christopher-Salino, UTT's Coordinator of Incubator Projects (uSTART); Mr. Faraad Hosein, Lecturer in Business Management and Mr. Anselm Walters, Senior Manager, Food Processing Technology.

Also in attendance at the presentations were Dr. Puran Bridgemohan, BAFT Programme Leader, Dr. Aphzal Mohammed, BAFT Lecturer, Mr. Ian Alleyne, Research Associate, Ms. Kristine Rodriguez, Entrepreneurial Development Officer (uSTART), along with students and other members of staff from BAFT.

Students were also requested to present packaged versions of their finished products, which included:

• Flavoured water using local fruits
• Local fruit cocktail
• Flavoured Goat Milk using local herbs
• Pepper jelly
• Goat Burgers
• Rabbit burgers
• Vacuum Packed Ready-to-Eat Rabbit
• Vacuum Packed Ready-to-Eat Tilapia
• Juices
• Spicy Ready-to-Eat Chicken
• Vermicompost
• Vacuum Packed Flavoured Sweet potato Fries
• Ready-to-Cook, Root Crop Pancake Mix
• Seedlings and Agricultural Supplies
• Vacuum Packed Ready-to-Eat Souse
• Vegetable Ice Cream

During preparation and production, students were encouraged to maximise the use of local ingredients in their products to augment factors such as taste and convenience.

Mr. Anselm Walters, the person charged with the responsibility for implementing the BAFT Incubator Project, wishes to publicly commend those persons who initially recognised the need for such a course, given its relevance to the present economic environment.

The BAFT team is committed to working assiduously to ensure that this project continues to enjoy great success in the future.