GEF SGP partnered with fisherfolk in north-east Trinidad to strengthen sustainable use of fisheries through the creation of value-added products. By-catch, the fish unintentionally caught in nets that target other, higher-value species, is typically discarded, despite comprising an estimated 80–90 percent of commercial trawler catch. That is why GEF SGP collaborated with Future Fishers to train and equip 22 fisherfolk to convert by-catch into smoked and salted retail products. This effort helps reduce the smoked-fish import bill, estimated to be over US $100,000 annually. GEF SGP and Future Fishers also strengthened local value chains by facilitating the establishment of the East Trinidad Cooperative Society with the aim of improving collective market access for fisherfolk in north-east Trinidad. The Society is simultaneously advancing efforts to reduce by-catch waste by promoting line fishing as an alternative to commercial net fishing, reducing the volume of by-catch waste.

As underscored in the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities, expanding economic participation for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) is central to building an inclusive labor market and unlocking underutilized talent within the national economy. In 2025, GEF SGP funded initiatives that translated inclusion into practical livelihood opportunities, strengthened accessibility, and enabled innovation led by PWDs. A flagship initiative was the launch of the country’s first PWD Innovation Challenge by the Digicel Foundation, which established a structured financing and entrepreneurship pipeline for PWDs and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). In November 2025, six winning solutions were announced, spanning: accessible and sustainable agriculture (Lady Hochoy Home, Gasparillo; Kidscape Education Limited); inclusive tourism and recreation (Healing with Horses, Buccoo, Tobago); disability-led media and advocacy (Joe Brien Entertainment); circular-economy livelihoods through upcycling (New Beginnings Educational Centre); and the country’s first ice cream shop operated by PWDs Cashew Gardens Community Council). Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate scalable, policy-relevant models for integrating disability inclusion into climate action, local economic development, and community services. Complementing this work, the Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago continued a GEF SGP–funded climate-smart agriculture initiative, sustaining operations of a shade house and hydroponics system completed in 2023. The initiative provides ongoing livelihood support for participants, with a planned 2026 expansion focused on increasing productivity and strengthening climate resilience.

Through GEF SGP funding, UNDP provided grants to national institutions and community organizations to strengthen Trinidad and Tobago’s response to recurring sargassum influxes, transforming a coastal hazard into opportunities for circular economy development, youth innovation, and livelihoods. Collectively, these locally driven solutions can contribute to sustainable agriculture, environmental management, and income generation. With GEF SGP support, UWI St. Augustine developed the country’s first heavy-metal-free compost derived from sargassum, generating early evidence that could encourage farmers to shift toward natural soil amendments and reduce reliance on chemical inputs. Conserving Habitats and Environmental Organisms (CHAPO) received GEF SGP support to host the first Design and Build competition focused on sargassum, giving young innovators a chance to prototype collection technologies and explore applications for disaster and environmental preparedness. At the community enterprise level, GEF SGP partnered with Nature Seekers to install biodigesters in Matura that convert collected sargassum into biogas, powering glass-blowing operations that upcycle recovered waste glass into marketable products. Together, these UN-supported, community-led initiatives illustrate a replicable model that reduces coastal pollution, supports biodiversity protection, and advances resilient local livelihoods through circular economy entrepreneurship.

Strengthening agricultural productivity and farmer resilience is central to food security, rural livelihoods, and the sustainability of Trinidad and Tobago’s domestic food systems. To advance this objective, the BIOREACH project, in partnership with the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO), established a nationally integrated and scalable system for training farmers in agroecological practices, shifting from short-term, project-based interventions to a sustainable model embedded within existing agricultural extension services. Through the Lead Farmer Training Program implemented between June and November 2025, 48 participants – including 30 farmers, 16 Ministry of Agriculture technical officers, and two lead farmers – were certified using a standardized national curriculum on sustainable land management and agroecological principles. As a result, agroecology knowledge and participatory Farmer Field School (FFS) methodologies are now institutionalized within the national extension system, strengthening government ownership and service continuity. This community-driven model reduces dependence on external inputs while supporting long-term productivity and more resilient rural livelihoods.

Moruga Hill Rice farmers are the proud stewards of a heritage crop that plays a vital role in the local value chain. 2025 marked a turning point for 31 Moruga Hill Rice farmers, who received practical support to keep their livelihoods viable in a changing climate. Their priorities were clear: reduce post-harvest losses, modernize processing, and secure stronger routes to market so Moruga Hill Rice can remain a reliable part of the Trinidad and Tobago food basket. Building on what farmers said they needed, WFP forged a partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to turn their experiences into a plan to help them adapt to climate change, improve production, and increase the value of their products by 2026.

Climate shocks and cascading hazards are increasingly shaping Trinidad and Tobago’s development landscape, reinforcing the Government’s emphasis on integrated, forward-looking approaches to resilience. In support of this national vision, UNDRR, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, partnered with national institutions to strengthen the enabling conditions for multi-risk, multisector, gender-responsive, and inclusive disaster risk reduction in line with the Sendai Framework. A key area of collaboration focused on advancing policy
coherence already under way at the national level. With joint technical support from UNDRR and UNDP, disaster risk reduction considerations were incorporated into the revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), aligning resilience and biodiversity objectives within a unified planning framework. UNDRR convened national consultations with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), engaging 36 participants (20 women and 16 men) from government, academia, civil society, youth, and community organizations. Together, institutions identified risk-informed priorities, including ecosystem service valuation, biodiversity loss accounting, spatial data integration, vulnerability mapping, and early warning for coastal and industrial risks – reinforcing national leadership in coordinated, evidence-based decision-making.

WFP is supporting Caribbean-led efforts to strengthen regional preparedness for climate- and shock-related emergencies that can disrupt food supply, health services, and livelihoods, including in Trinidad and Tobago. In partnership with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), of which Trinidad and Tobago is an active member, WFP helped institutionalize a more resilient regional humanitarian supply chain architecture. Central to this effort was making the Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub and Centre of Excellence in Barbados operational, which improves the region’s ability to rapidly deploy prepositioned supplies and reinforce CDEMA’s surge capacity for CARICOM member states. Complementing this infrastructure, Stock-Take 2025 consolidated inventory data from 55 warehouses across nine countries, tracking more than 444 metric tons of emergency supplies. The resulting system provides decision makers, including national authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, with a real-time “control tower” view of 20 priority items, enabling early identification of gaps and more targeted replenishment. In parallel, the Caribbean Relief and Logistics Thematic Working Group advanced shared standard operating procedures, mapping and coordination tools, alongside airport readiness training supported by DHL. Together, these regional systems strengthen preparedness and safeguard access to essential goods during crises.