CARDI Ministers’ Brief, February 2018
Contents:
Updating regional coconut water safety standards
CARDI Barbados has an impressive showing at Agrofest 2018
CARDI set to roll out a stock feed project
French student completes CARDI internship
Be sure to visit the CARDI booth at techAGRI Expo 2018, the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago from 22-25 March 2018. Featured crops are coconut and sweet potato.
Updating coconut water quality and safety standards will positively impact on public health and trade
The demand for fresh and packaged coconut water across the region is rapidly increasing. However, there are growing concerns about the quality of coconut water sold by retailers to CARICOM consumers. Recent independent assessments of coconut water indicate the quality and safety of coconut water may indeed be compromised, impacting on public health and trade.
Large tracts of the Intermediate savannahs are being opened for new agriculture investments
(photo courtesy: www. guyanachronicle.com)
CARDI will soon begin developing just over 2,000 hectares of land in the Intermediate Savannahs of Region 10, Guyana. The land which has been granted by the Government of Guyana to CARDI will be used to produce forages, rice, corn and other crops, for processing into animal feed. The feed produced from this venture will cater to the needs of local farmers in the first instance and later exported to meet the needs of livestock farmers across the CARICOM.
Tiana Rakotoson completes CARDI Internship
French student Tiana Rakotoson has completed a 5-month internship programme at CARDI’s Trinidad and Tobago Unit. Tiana, a second year student at Agrocampus Ouest in France, was involved in the establishment of stakeholder innovation platforms for sweet potato in Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat and Jamaica. Stakeholder platforms are part of CARDI’s Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) approach to developing commodity value chains. The AIS approach emphasises interaction and collaboration among the various actors along the value chain. This drives innovation, resulting in enhanced agricultural productivity, improved agricultural products and efficiency across value chains. Tiana was also involved in the preparation of several information products.
Students listening attentively to CARDI’s work in forages
CARDI Barbados showcased its work at the recently held Agrofest, the largest agricultural exhibition in the country.
CARDI promoted the utilisation of locally grown inputs such as cassava and sweet potato peels and mulberry leaves in feed formulations for small ruminants as a means of reducing the cost of production. The institute also took the opportunity to sensitise the public to the characteristics of different varieties of hot peppers and cassava, provided growing tips for hot peppers, corn, cassava, onions and sweet potato and demonstrated propagation of cassava using one and two node cuttings. Visitors to the booth received seed samples and were encouraged by CARDI staff to start a backyard garden.
St Kitts & Nevis Landcare Workshop, May 2018
Hosted by Australian Landcare International / CARDI/ University of Wolverhampton
Nevis: 18 May 2018
St Kitts: 22-25 May 2018
Please see St Kitts & Nevis Landcare Workshop flyer for more information
Evaluation of bucket traps baited with selected foods for attracting giant African snails, Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich) in Trinidad by Annika T. Minott and Videsh S. Jagroo (CARDI) and Marcus Ramdwar (The University of Trinidad and Tobago – UTT) was published online, 23 Feb 2018, in the journal, Cogent Food & Agriculture, 4:1: 1440896. DOI: 10.1080/23311932.2018.1440896
Adapting clonally propagated crops to climatic changes: a global approach for taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) by Lebot, V. Tuia, A. Ivancic, G. V. H. Jackson, F. Saborio, G. Reyes, S. Rodriguez, G. Robin*, R. Traoré, L. Aboagye, J. Onyeka, W. van Rensburg, V. Andrianavalona, A. Mukherjee, M. S. Prana, D. Ferraren, B. Komolong, F. Lawac, S. Winter, M. A. A. Pinheiro de Carvalho, T. Iosefa. 2018. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution February 2018, Volume 65, Issue 2, pp 591–606. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-017-0557-6
*G. Robin, CARDI, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago
The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) an autonomous Institute funded by Member Countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) invites applications for the position of Administrative Assistant located at our CARDI Barbados Unit.
Please see the Vacancy Notice and Position Description for additional details.
The deadline date for receipt of applications is Thursday 29 March, 2018.
