On August 17, 2015, the 128th anniversary of the birth of the Right Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey 392 high yielding and fast growing breadfruit cultivars left the Global Breadfruit Lab in Florida for the island of Dominica.
According to the CEO of the Caribbean Agricultural Network (CAN) Major Francis Richards, the cultivars (Ulu-fiti) and (Otea) are the donation of New York based General Surgeon Dr Julius Garvey, the last son of Marcus Garvey.
Dr. Garvey is a member of the Caribbean Agricultural Network and has dedicated himself to the development of Caribbean food security, in accordance with the principles of self reliance advocated by his father who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the early 1900’s.
Dominica was a major base of support for the UNIA during its early years and Marcus Garvey himself was invited to Dominica in 1929 with the aid of UNIA representative, noted local poet and self rule activist JR Ralph Casimir.
At the end of the hardening process, the objective of the project is to distribute the plants within the seven (7) agricultural regions on island. Upon arrival the cultivars will be transported to the Ministry of Agriculture’s greenhouse facility at Portsmouth where they will be hardened for three months prior to distribution to local farmers.
The advanced cultivar types sent to Dominica are fast bearing and will fruit within 2 to 3 years, compared to the standard 3 to 5 years.
According to CAN’s Director on Dominica, Errol Emmanuel, the breadfruit proliferation effort will complement the cocoa revival project on Dominica led by the Caribbean Agricultural Network, in league with Dominica’s cocoa farmers.
The objective of CAN is to rebuild the agriculture and food security backbone on Dominica, and the Caribbean region. On August 1, 2015 St Lucian agriculture scientist and former ambassador to the US, Dr Eddie Edmunds joined CAN as its Director of Agriculture Institution Relations.
The CAN President Gabriel J. Christian, wishes to thank Dr Garvey for his leadership in agriculture and food security by this gift, and the Government of Dominica and other persons who have come forward to collaborate on its agriculture development mission.
When Captain Cook visited Tahiti in 1769, he and his crew were introduced to this fruit. Joseph Banks and his botanist on that voyage, Solander, raved about this plant after returning to England, and some nobility saw this as a plant with great potential in the British West Indies, where it could be used to feed the slaves who worked the sugar cane fields. Sir Joseph Banks urged King George III of England to introduce breadfruit to the West Indies, and in 1787 the King dispatched Captain William Bligh on the H.M.S. Bounty to accomplish that goal. The Bounty reached Tahiti in 1788, and the crew spent six months there collecting and propagating plants for shipment. During their prolonged stay, the crew members married Tahitian girls, and they were understandably upset when they were forced to sail for the West Indies. After leaving Tahiti on April 4, 1789, with 1015 breadfruit plants, Captain Bligh was overpowered in a mutiny, and as a result he and 18 others were cast adrift in a…
Below is the information you wanted regarding which countries have our varieties:
Total Trees: 63,780
Total Countries: 35
OCEANIA (8)
American Samoa (2012)
Samoa (2014)
French Polynesia (2013)
Guam (2012)
Hawaii (2009)
Commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) (2013)
Republic of the Marshall Islands (Majuro) (2014)
Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Chuuk) (2014)
CARIBBEAN (10)
Antigua and Barbuda (2015)
Barbados (2014)
Bermuda (2013)
Cayman Islands (2013)
Bahamas (2014)
Dominica (2015)
Haiti (2010)
Jamaica (2009)
Nevis (2013)
Puerto Rico (2013)
CENTRAL AMERICA (6)
Belize (2015)
Costa Rica (2012)
Panama (2013)
Honduras (2009)
Nicaragua (2011)
Guatemala (2013)
AFRICA (9)
Ghana (2011)
Kenya (2013)
Liberia (2013)
Madagascar (2012)
Mozambique (2011)
Nigeria (2011)
Rwanda (2014)
Tanzania (2011)
Zambia (2014)
ASIA (2)
Myanmar (2012)
Pakistan (2014)
This another opportunity for Dominica to rise up and perform and the level that the country has always been able to reach. It gives our island another chance to brighten our future and changes lives of Dominica people, we have the potential to be amazing we never lost that. Our people just lost their vision and perspective but with projects like these brought to us by fellow West Indians that want see a better Dominica and a better Caribbean, we shall truly succeed. We just have to never lose sight of the goal and Dominica and along with the rest of the Caribbeans islands United will be a force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile Jamaicans appreciate the donation of advanced breadfruit and aim to build an industry with it. The Jamaican government is racing ahead and creating a special breadfruit farm with the donated beeadfruit. See http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/mobile/news/Jamaica-receives-500-of-Garvey-s-breadfruit-trees_19224746. Hope we can do same.
While the blind, malicious and negative naysayers down breadfruit as non Dominican, the fail to recognize that breadfruit is not even indigenous to Dominica. Like mango, sugar cane and cocoa these plants were the product of the colonial experience in colonizing the island with fruitful plants. To Colonize is not an inherently evil term and we must come to grips with that fact.
This another opportunity for Dominica to rise up and perform and the level that the country has always been able to reach. It gives our island another chance to brighten our future and changes lives of Dominica people, we have the potential to be amazing we never lost that. Our people just lost their vision and perspective but with projects like these brought to us by fellow West Indians that want see a better Dominica and a better Caribbean, we shall truly succeed. We just have to never lose sight of the goal and Dominica and along with the rest of the Caribbeans islands United will be a force to be reckoned with.
Just get a market for breadfruit and you will see the amout you will get from our farmers.
Also what the health education department need to do is to educate the population on the value of breadfruit compare to refine foods. There is not enought of health education going on . Put our priorities right.
Tuesday, 04 August 2015
Breadfruit not potatoes can boost exports to EU
Julius Garvey, son of pioneering black rights activist Marcus Garvey, called for a greater emphasis on agriculture as the key to restructure the colonial economy and to strive for sustainable development. Using the example of breadfruit, Garvey noted how rich an diverse the local vegetable was: it is gluten-free, has a lower glycaemic index and it is nutritionally superior to wheat and with other measures will combat obesity and its derivative non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart-attacks and stroke. He noted that it could be a catalyst in reducing the regions high import bills and for diversifying exports. He underlined how food production, processing and distribution are largely still monopolised by global corporate giants who focus on a small range of items: corn, rice, wheat, and canola. In comparison, the Caribbean is rich in fruit, vegetables, seafood and herbs: “Manufacture…
Some people been jumping about LAB FOOD well i will tell you guys we been eating drinking lab food everyday,like coke,tin food and baby food like SMA,COWnGATE the list go’s on n on.
Remember papaw was brought in and we end up with a disease which destroyed all our originally grown papaw, now is breadfruit. We have so much breadfruot in Da that is our survivor .please do not bring famine to our country with those modified plants . Why not from Africa land of breadfruit . Read your history.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Furthermore, they were certified free of any and all pests or diseases before arriving to the island. These trees will greatly increase food security and the local Dominican economy.
The new breadfruit will not digest. They are attempting to kill us out and take our little paradise Island. Take your new B-FROOT and…….you know what.
But what is this at all? New breadfruit? Not in my plate.
The breadfruit varieties recently imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica and these same varieties are being enjoyed on other islands, including: Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad, and the Bahamas.
What is really going on? Are we so gullible that we must choose all others but our own? To destroy our local varieties? We never learn from the past.
The breadfruit varieties recently imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica and these same varieties are being enjoyed on other islands, including: Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad, and the Bahamas.
Did dominicans ever say they had a problem with breadfruit or breadfruit cultivation???
We don’t need it! Take it back! The GMO terrorists are on the move!
Of course we have a problem with breadfruit, breadfruit varieties in particular. There are several breadfruit varieties but we only have “white heart” which ripens and rots quickly after maturity and picking. One variety of particular interest is the “yellow heart” which ripens slower than the white heart so it lasts longer after picking. Among other available varieties, there are those suited for wet areas or cool areas. What is the Agric. Division doing to get us some of these varieties more suited to our various environments. But that’s not all. We CAN grow various vars of cashima, shapoti, golden apple, pomgrenate, etc and NEW fruits like lichi, longan, langsat, mangostene, pomarac, etc (some in Bot. Gdns already), for local consumption and export to French islands, Barbados, etc. There’s nothing that prevents us from growing these fruits, but we ourselves. So of course you have a problem.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Furthermore, they were certified free of any and all pests or diseases before arriving to the island. These trees will greatly increase food security and the local Dominican economy.
Well I hope it is a dwarf variety, because right now you can hardly get a man to climb a yampen tree for you. The present situation is a lot of rotten fruits falling from the tree and bringing a lot of fruit flies which is very annoying.
No more genetically modified products in Dominica. We do not need this right now. Our cancer rate is on the increase for a small nation like ours. Dominica is already blessed with many organically grown bread fruit trees. Please do not contaminate our soil and country with gentically modified foods.
Thank you very much.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.\
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica and these same varieties are being enjoyed on other islands, including: Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad, and the Bahamas.
I applaud the efforts of the CAN. We need more like that, and we need to join with them. The malicious and negative comments here are sickening, and bode ill for the country. It is such negativity from his own which ruined Garvey. As for GMO, the CAN website link states: Our varieties are not genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. In consultation with the experts at the Breadfruit Institute, we have selected the best varieties of the more than 120 varieties in the Institute’s collection. Our commercial varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
who is behind all this imported fruit to be grown in Dominica? Is this another GM food? More information should be provided and these should not be imported till more information is known. Till then, these GM foods should be boycotted. why cant local farmers increase the production of what is already naturally available? The government is letting the farmers down. Use some of he money from the sale of the passports to help the natural grown fruits and vegetables an boycott GMO.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica and these same varieties are being enjoyed on other islands, including: Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad, and the Bahamas.
I am sure this variety would be banned from entering certain countries because it is GMO. Only wee small underdeveloped countries will accept such so called gifts without proper investigation.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica and these same varieties are being enjoyed on other islands, including: Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad, and the Bahamas, plus nearly 30 other nations globally.
I watched a video on YouTube that explains the dangers of GMOs on humans and the environment and its scary! What is wrong with our local YAMPEN that we have to bring in a new LAB MODIFIED variety? Is this variety going to replace our local indigenous variety?
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica. These other varieties will help to provide better quality fruit and extend the fruiting season of local varieties.
People please do some research on the dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and how the can easily replace our natural varieties. GMO’s are not intended to feed the hungry as they try to make us believe but to make profit. The goal of these big corporations like Monsanto is to replace natural varieties of fruits and vegetables with patented or GMOs and then you must buy their chemicals to deal with the pests and diseases they attract, thus destroying our soil and the environment.
Bringing in LAB CROPS is not the answer. Instead let us cultivate more of what we have.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica. These other varieties will help to provide better quality fruit and extend the fruiting season of local varieties.
First bananas, then coconuts, now breadfruit? Seriously. Instead of jumping up and down about Gordon Henderson not receiving his award, this is what should catch our attention. Omg we don’t want GMO foods from momsanto to pollute our soils and mill our people. Take it back. We have enough fresh organic food in our country.
You believe that we still have “organic” food in Dominica? The US know how our food is cultivated, and the poisonous fertilizers used to grow same; That is why they don’t allow our fruits to enter their country. GRAMAXZONE poisoned our soil way back in the 1960s or before. The fertilizers used in undeveloped countries like ours are banned in the USA and other developed countries. Check the cancer rate in Dominica now, compared to 65 years ago. Our food is no longer “organic.”
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica. These other varieties will help to provide better quality fruit and extend the fruiting season of local varieties. Furthermore breadfruit can easily be incorporated into agroforests that have been productive for thousands of years.
First bananas, now breadfruit de govt introducing alot of new plants for Dominicans to consume i hope this is not an experiment to see if we will grow horns, we have so many cancer cases to date.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica. These other varieties will help to provide better quality fruit and extend the fruiting season of local varieties.
Eb ben zor sort a Dominique
Well whats going on here,its that what its coming too?a breadfruit produce from a lab havr to be hardened for three months before its distrubuted to the farmers .what happen to a natural breadfruit? We dont need that.why not cultivate it in the u.s where it was man made?
British brought breadfruit from Tahiti it did not exist here naturally
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica. These other varieties will help to provide better quality fruit and extend the fruiting season of local varieties.
The trees must be cared for in a greenhouse-like environment for three months to harden and prepare them for field planting, to esnure they are productive for decades to come.
GMO???
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
hmm all that genetically modified goodness, which is banned in some countries yum
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
A LESSON FOR THE DIASPORA!
WE CAN DO IT even if disenfanchised by the ruling party …..
However can we not acellerate through tissue culture the plant propagation of the breadfruit ?
Genetically modified…..Keep our indigenous species instead since they have withstood the test of time since Captain Bligh brought them here.
We don’t know the risks for future generations as yet.
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.
Breadfruit is not indigenous to Dominica. These other varieties will help to provide better quality fruit and extend the fruiting season of local varieties.
So fast? Two to three years (2-3yrs) to bear fruit?
I am not a science person, but will the fruit be very healthy to consume? I AM JUST ASKING!!!!
No. They will probably have small pox or swine flu.
Or will they bring in diseases to destroy our breadfruit trees as the doing the banana and coconut trees. Wonder where and how these new plants come about. (just wondering)
This is serious! We have no idea how this is going to impact our local indigenous variety. It was Genetically Modified in a LAB….That can’t be good.
how can I get a few plants, I am not a labourite…
LANSAL, Please don’t bring low level politics into it this is for DOMINICA and your children so talk with your head if any.
the fly, it is a realistic comment since the banana plants were give to labor supporters… and that cannot be disputed.
% this is the fly, in Brazil,EU,uk fruits grow much faster than 3 to 5 yds is a long time so 2 -3 is great for breadfruit and DOMINICA could sell more of it to the outside world, take care god blessed .
The breadfruit varieties imported into Dominica are NOT genetically modified, but are traditional varieties chosen by the people of the Pacific over many thousands of years as they migrated from island to island. The imported varieties were chosen based on their superior growth habit, adaptability, long fruiting seasons, and nutrient-rich fruit.