The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has moved closer to securing funds for the new Aquaponics and Organic Agricultural Farm which will be established at the St. Mary’s Secondary School.
Ms. Miho Harada, a Consultant-Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects from the Embassy of Japan in Trinidad met with Mr. Craig Cole, Education Officer of Agricultural Science (ag), Mrs. Ezra Knowles Special Project Consultant for the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, the Principal of the St. Mary’s Secondary School Mr. Casey Phillip, Mr. Adolph Audain a specialist in Aquaponics and Organic farming and the teachers responsible for agricultural science at the school.
Ms. Harada toured St. Mary’s Secondary School and was briefed on the plans for the proposed Aquaponics system. The project once implemented; will not only serve the St. Mary’s School, but all primary and secondary institutions, along with the farming community. The project is designed to increase the nation’s understanding about climate smart agriculture practices. Once complete, St. Mary’s Secondary School will be the first school in the Caribbean to house a commercial level research aquaponics facility.
During Ms. Harada’s courtesy call with Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Michael Browne, she expressed how impressed she is with the proposed initiative. Minister Browne reiterated the importance of such partnership for assisting Antigua and Barbuda in promoting national food security.
This undertaking will support the ministry’s effort to establish thematic secondary school; with St. Mary’s secondary school focusing on (climate smart) agriculture.
