Stephon Nicholas
The Plymouth/Black Rock electoral district is giving entrepreneurs in the area a platform to sell their products through a monthly farmers’ market at Adventure Micro Mall, Plymouth.
The inaugural market was held recently, with vendors selling vegetables, craft items, spices, coconuts and other goods.
Samantha Cruickshank, operations officer for the electoral district, said the initiative was community-driven and aimed at giving local vendors an opportunity to reach constituents and the wider public.
“We’ve had high demand for persons wanting to sell and showcase their locally grown produce, goods and livestock. There was one instance where someone said they have so many rabbits, they want to give it away. We said, ‘No, come to the farmers’ market,’” she said.
Cruickshank said the first market was not as well attended as expected, but she anticipated greater participation as people became familiar with the initiative.
She said providing a space for local entrepreneurs was important, particularly as Tobago seeks to improve food security and encourage local production.
Among the vendors was agripreneur Kaydi Eastman-McKenzie, who sold spices and traditional kitchen utensils from her family business.
“We create herbs and spice blends from indigenous plants. We created the blends to cater to the palate of the Tobagonians and diaspora. We also preserve the traditions by keeping the graters alive and the swizzle sticks, and we put them into a model spin by creating them as earrings and keepsakes,” she said.
Plant vendor Levi Blake offered melocactus, buttercup plants, hibiscus, bougainvillea and other plants.
Cruickshank encouraged the public to attend the next market, which is expected to feature more vendors.
