CARDI And Agriculture Department Hold Three-Day Training Workshop
Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 24, 2022 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), is conducting a three-day root crops, banana and plantain training workshop from May 24 to 26.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ron Dublin-Collins commended CARDI for its partnership in the roots and tubers programme, for its research and its assistance in capacity development.
“CARDI has been instrumental in helping us to source well-needed planting material so that we can kick start our roots and tubers programme in the Fahie’s area in particular and their assistance today in providing the technical support through training and ensuring capacity development is a clear indication of their support of the objectives of this programme,” said Mr. Collins.
“The long term objective of this programme for roots and tubers is to commercialise root and tuber production to improve living conditions, income, food security and nutritional health of our people,” he said.
Mr. Dublins-Collins continued, “Our programme objectives include developing improved root and tuber production technologies to increase productivity, multiplying improved planting material, developing processing techniques, assisting with marketing activities and collaborating with all stakeholders to provide training to our farmers and our technical staff.”
He also stated that the Ministry of Agriculture would be introducing an initiative in the near future to increase the production in roots and tubers. He said that the introduction of this initiative will ensure greater gains for the farmers and producers within the Federation.
He also commended the participants saying, “I want to wish them every success, to ensure that when you leave here that you practice the skills that you have received and the knowledge that has been shared with you and we can see greater production not only in the Fahie’s area but throughout the length and breadth for our smallholdings for farms throughout St. Kitts and when this is done we can again see our clear path to the improvement and continued enhancement of the sector.”