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At the University of the West Indies (UWI) Field Station a festival was held in celebration of the mango. The Ministry of Food Production, the Network of Rural Women Producers in Trinidad and Tobago, the Trinidad and Tobago Federation of Women’s Institute in collaboration with the University of the West Indies, was responsible for hosting the 1st Mango Conference and the 4th Mango Festival in July of this year.

This was the first time we were able to hold a mango conference two days preceding the festival. The conference theme was ‘From Seed to Table’ and the 4th Mango Festival theme was ‘A Celebration of the diversity and utility of mangos’.

There was a packed overall programme with speeches from the Minister of Food Production, Chinese Ambassador, German Ambassador and Suriname Ambassador and other Heads of International and Regional Organisations.

There were approximately 35 stalls where sale items were displayed. These stalls consisted of edible products made from mango e.g. jams, jelly and syrup, chutneys, mango wine, mango bread, among other tasty items.

There were non- edible products made from mangos, which included soaps; skin creams and mango base products used for pedicures and manicures; paper made from mango leaves, which could be converted into jewellery, as well as for gift boxes and cards. Our national music filled the air with steel band and tassa drumming, whilst prizes were given out for the best displayed stall and most innovative product.

The festival itself was a resounding success, with over 2,500 adults and approximately 400 children in attendance, with participants coming from as far as Suriname and Grenada.

Rose Rajbansee, Area President Central & South America & Caribbean