The Black Sigatoka Disease is on the decline.
So says the Hon. Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Johnson Drigo, on the Focus on Government and Development radio programme last week when he discussed the factors contributing to that result.
The Hon. Minister says although the management of the disease has been his biggest challenge since his tenure as Minister and Dominica has mapped out a clear path to recovery for the banana and plantain sub-sectors.
“Thanks to efforts of the Ministry and organizations such as the Organisation of American States which was already onboard from 2012 assisting in putting a framework together to fight the disease,” he said. “Government established a unit and started pumping funds into the fight against Black Sigatoka, procuring the relevant oils and chemicals and contracting persons across the island to join the fight. Government was always advocating for farmers to do the de-leafing and other [cultural] activities and we are at a stage now where we are looking ahead.”
The Minister said in the midst of a slight decline in the spread of the disease, the Ministry will continue to be diligent in its actions to revive the industry.
“The intention is to continue the fight to ensure that we always have the relevant chemicals and oils for the cycles to continue. We are providing the spraymen with the right gear and we are working with the farmers and hosting educational sessions both at the farm level and community level,” he noted. “Just two weeks ago, the Food and Agriculture Organization sent back a consultant to do an assessment. He is presently preparing a report for us. As we go along, we will tell you the new initiatives that we have in the fight against the Black Sigatoka.”
“We are at it; it occupies our time but we have been equal to the task,” the Agriculture Minister assures.
THAT is plenty manure to keep a plantation fertilized for a year. What measures, what decline is mister talking about?
Mr. Drigo, don’t follow in your predecessor’s footsteps…please.
The Black Sigatoka Disease is NOT on the decline.
How can you make such a statement? It’s utter nonsense you are stating. Go out to the few remaining fields and have a look. Always the same, as soon as there is a problem on the island Labour tackles is with propaganda, silly talk and empty promises and expect us to be satisfied. Why don’t you do something for a change and present us with some meaningful results.
GIS why you irritating us so? You are winding people up like that you know. Those of us not sitting in offices with A.C. and out in the field, talking to farmers and people looking for banana to eat or sell, we know it is different. So please, do not make it worse and make people angry, just work hard to make it better. Enough talk already.
is that because there are no bananas left to infect smh
how can it be on the decline and the government has done nothing to contain the fungi, no spraying no treatment, just because they got a few resistant plants it already on the decline? … what about the spores that are host to Dominica’s endless foliage.
DRIGO, you remind me of a bus driver, as soon as a good driver who follows the laws of driving purchases a bus, he immediately becomes an idiot on the road.
Of course black sigatoka is on the decline, logical because there are far fewer bananas!
Go and look in the supermarket or by the vendors and see how lucky you are to find any, The same goes for plantains and my God, the price they are asking for those febe figues if you can find any. I’m glad they are taking steps to improve the situation but GIS is a propaganda organ for the govt after all.. and I will only believe them when I see plenty, healthy bananas again at reasonable prices.
I was thinking the same thing .