Regional Project benefitting Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname and Dominica
The Ministry of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and National Food Security through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the implementation agency CARDI has successfully completed an eight-month Farmer Field School session, for the cultivation of the Cassava Crop.
Forty (40) farmers from the North East Agricultural region namely Calibishie, Woodford Hill and the Kalinago Territory are now better equipped to undertake the growing of cassava, one of the crops identified by the Government of Dominica as resilient and important for the island’s food basket, for food substitution and food security.
This activity is part of Phase II of the Cassava Industry Development – Market Assessment and Technology Validation and Dissemination Project. Under this project 4 varieties of sweet cassava were introduced from CIAT as tissue culture material. CARDI coordinated with CLAYUCA to wean and harden the introduced planting material and build capacity in these areas among staff of the Ministry of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and National Food Security.
A germplasm plot of the varieties has been established at the Portsmouth Agricultural Station where agronomic evaluation is ongoing. Nineteen (19) extension officers have also been trained using the Farmer Field School (FFS) methodology to enhance their knowledge and practical skills thereby broaden their capacity to better advise and serve farmers.
The Government of Dominica has also invested through its Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) significant financing for the refurbishment and retrofitting of processing facilities a key component in the value chain for the development of the Cassava Industry.
The project is being funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CBD).
A Cassava Farmer Field School is interesting. Congratulations to the graduate farmers. I think a Marijuana Farmer Field School in North Dominica would also be an innovative, productive, and economical enterprise.