Curried crab and dumplings is a dish synonymous with Tobago and crab racing is one of the novel events it hosts during the Easter holidays.

Nw the island has created history with the launch of the first crab farm at the Buccoo Historical Park and Nature Centre, Tobago on April 12.

The project is the brainchild of the Canaan/Bon Accord Sport Club in collaboration with the Canaan/Bon Accord/Crown Point Committee on Sustainable Community Development. It was funded by the Digicel Foundation and Shell TT.

The groups also worked closely with the THA Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport and the policy unit of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development.

In her remarks at the official launch of the project, Cindy-Ann Currency, head of operations, at the Digicel Foundation, said the club secured $100,000 through the company’s Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities (EPIC) grant for 2024.

The grant was set up several years ago for communities to implement projects in three categories: Renewable Energy, Agriculture and the Environment.

[caption id="attachment_1076929" align="alignnone" width="835"] Blue crabs are a local delicacy often used in callaloo or curried with dumplings. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]

Currency said during the period 2023-2024, Digicel got over 100 applications for grants from communities.

She said after a robust shortlisting process, “we were able, thrilled and proud to align our brands with this one-of-a-kind sustainable initiative, led by the Canaan/Bon Accord Sports Club.”

Currency said the project is essentially an agro-entrepreneurship initiative to rear, process, package and sell blue shell crabs and crab meat.

She added the team shared its vision to produce high-quality crab meat and crab products for the local, regional and international markets.

Currency said the Tobago crab farm is an example of what can be achieved with innovation and a passion for community development.

Kelton Thomas, a member of the Canaan/Bon Accord/Crown Point Committee on Sustainable Development, explained the thinking behind the project.

[caption id="attachment_1076930" align="alignnone" width="768"] Kelton Thomas, a member of the Canaan/Bon Accord/Crown Point Committee on Sustainable Community Development, tells a visitor about the crab farm at the launch of the initiative on April 12 at the Buccoo Historical Park and Nature Centre, Tobago. - Corey Connelly[/caption]

He said over the years, they have noticed that the size of blue crabs sold in markets has become smaller.

As such, Thomas said the groups embarked on a plan to breed the crabs in captivity.

“When they have attained marketable size, we will weigh them and measure them and hopefully we can use it as a standard size for crabs being sold in the marketplace,” he said.

Thomas said the group dug two ponds in an area of the park to farm the crabs.

“We released male and female crabs within the pond to allow them to excavate their own burrows and after mating they will go into their burrows. Whe