TTABA’s Research and Development Unit is guide to serve as a non-commercial support unit for:

1. The National Agribusiness Development Programme (NADP) in the implementation of the AGRICHAIN aproach for the REPOSITION, RESTRUCTURING, EXPANTION OF AGRICULTURE IN Trinidad and Tobago.
2. To identify adecuate technology to move forward from subsistant agriculture to agribusiness.
3. To identify and develop value addded products from the target commodityies.
4. To provide training in new technologies.

 
OUR TARGET FOR THIS PERIOD IS TO ASSIST TTABA AND OUR NATION TO INCREASE FARM PRODUCTIVITY BY 30%

Therefore for the next two years, TTABA will focus on research and development projects that directly impact on the commodities from which the value-added products are being developed and issues that directly impact on the organizations ability to achieve this objective.

FAO defines the food chain approach as recognition that the responsibility for the supply of food that is safe, healthy and nutritious is shared along the entire food chain - by all involved with the production, processing, trade and consumption of food. This approach encompasses the whole food chain from primary production to final consumption.

Stakeholders include farmers, fishermen, slaughterhouse operators, food processors, transport operators, distributors (wholesale and retail) and consumers, as well as governments obliged to protect public health.

The holistic approach to food safety along the food chain differs from previous models in which responsibility for safe food tended to concentrate on the food processing sector. Its implementation requires both an enabling policy and regulatory environment at national and international level with clearly defined rules, and the establishment of food control systems and programmes at national and local levels throughout the food chain. (FAO's Strategy for a Food Chain Approach to Food Safety and Quality: A framework document for the development of future strategic direction, Rome, 31 March-4 April 2003)

Field

The aim of R&D for FIELD production at TTABA has focus in assisting the different industries from the ten (10) commodities that has been identified to move from subsistence to commercially viable by identifying and strengthen the production – commercial chain.

 

Post-Harvest

The aim of R&D for Postharvest is to focus in developing standards that unify the understanding of farmers and processor of the grades needed for each process and the benefit that farmers can have economically once they can provide the grades required in each case.

Processing

The aim of R&D in processing is focus in developed a Self sufficient processing industry of local crops (ten identified commodities) that can stand as a profitable company and create products that can compete worldwide in order to create a sustainable link between the farming community and the rest of the processing chain that can benefit (Economically and socially) all the players of the food chain.