Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath, second from right, poses for a photo with the Trinidad Guardian winners at the IICA/CARDI Media Awards for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism 2010-2011 at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya yesterday From left are Trinidad Guardian editor Suzanne Sheppard, who received the media house award for Overall Excellence in Agricultural Journalism, Shaliza Hassanali, who won for the best human interest story, Dilip Singh for best news photograph and Dixie-Ann Dickson for Best Business Feature. Photo: BRIAN NG FATT

Guardian Media Limited (GML) has received the award for Overall Excellence in Agricultural Journalism from the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI). The award was given to GML for consistently addressing the issue of agriculture and food security during the IICA/CARDI media awards function held at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya yesterday. Two GML journalists—Sunday Guardian’s Shaliza Hassanali and Business Guardian’s Dixie-Ann Dickson—were awarded in the print categories for Best Human Interest and Best Business Feature respectively, while photographer Dilip Singh was awarded for Best News Photograph.

The competition, now in its second year, focuses on fostering greater understanding of food security and related issues among media in the country. The theme was “Agriculture–Rooting for Sustainable Development.” Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath said this newspaper had been comprehensively covering the agriculture sector. He said Hassanali was “a staple” at the ministry’s public events and could even be mistaken for a member of its staff “because she is around so often.”

He said Dickson often wrote about the involvement of young people in the sector, which the ministry was very keen on promoting. The winners captured prize money from US$800 to US$1,200. She said: “Through this initiative and several others, they have shown the importance of partnering with the media, so that we can work together to raise awareness and promote interest in agriculture development and the many issues that confront a sector that has always been a vital part of the history and social and economic development of the Caribbean.”

• Best News Story (Print)–Aabida Allaham
  
  
  
• Best News Story (Television)–Nadine Hackett
  
  
  
• Best Feature Documentary (Television)–Karma Ballah Boyke
  
  
  
• Best Feature Photograph–Krishna Maharaj
  
  
  
• IICA/CARDI Special Award–Prof John Spence
  

Trinidad Guardian
July 12, 2011