Who Won Best Agricultural Development Videos?

Twenty-two (22) teams of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 from seven Caribbean countries recently submitted entries in a film and video competition on the theme, “Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Agricultural Development in the Caribbean." Judging took place over the course of an insightful two-day conference on science communication that was held in August 2011, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, culminating in an awards ceremony that captured the camaraderie among the entrants and the delight of the competition organisers with the outcomes.

A high level of creativity, knowledge and awareness of the issues facing agricultural development in the region was demonstrated by the young professionals who took part in the competition. Their videos will certainly help to raise public awareness and highlight the key issues facing agriculture and food security in the region, which were two main objectives of the competition. The videos also provide as an attractive mechanism for increasing the engagement of more young people to address agricultural challenges through STI and for promoting the use of ICTs for improving communication within the sector.

The award-winning videos have been highlighted on YouTube and will be aired on television stations throughout the region during the upcoming weeks.

Related link:  Training Workshop

All the entries were winners in their own right and after the difficult process of judging, the prizes were distributed as follows;

• Two (2) special prizes went to "Nightmare 2020" and "Step into Mr. Gregory's Home-Be surprised by its Wonder" both from Trinidad and Tobago

• 3rd Place to "Food for Thought" from Grenada

• 2nd Place to "Trial and Error" from Jamaica

• 1st place to “Bee Wise" from Trinidad and Tobago

Recognising the value of the competition to national development, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) sponsored an award to the top Trinidad and Tobago entry, which went to “Bee Wise”.

“Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Agricultural Development in the Caribbean” was launched in July 2010 by the Caribbean Council for Science and Technology (CCST), The University of the West Indies (UWI), the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development (CARDI), the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP- EU (CTA), and the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC).

Copies of the videos produced for the competition are available on DVD for distribution to schools, public libraries, television stations throughout the Caribbean region. For further information, please contact:

CCST Secretariat
Ms. Lovaan Superville
c/o NIHERST
43-45 Woodford Street
Newtown
Trinidad, W.I.
Telephone (868) 622 7880 or (868) 628 8523.
E-mail: lovaan.superville@niherst.gov.tt or ccst@niherst.gov.tt

Written: December 2011