CARDI, FAO, and Ministry Host Joint Workshop on Climate-Smart Legume Production and Data Collection

On Thursday, 17 September 2026, CARDI, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, hosted a half-day workshop entitled “Operationalization of Climate Smart Technologies and Data Collection for Legumes (Bodi, Salad Beans and Pigeon Peas) Production Unit” at the County Caroni Station.

The interactive session provided participants with both theoretical and hands-on training to build climate resilience, manage water efficiency, and adopt digital tools for farm management.

Key Sessions & Demonstrations:

• Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies: Dr. Perry Polar outlined key systems being deployed, including 0.5 HP solar pumps, time-controlled irrigation for soilless setups, and weather application tools. Soil and climate sensors measuring temperature, moisture, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) will be installed by late October to inform daily farming decisions.
• Data Collection & Digital Tools: Dr. Perry Polar and Iverene Gill-Wilkinson trained participants on KoboToolbox and Google Sheets, demonstrating custom templates to help growers record and analyze farm data for better decision-making.
• Climate-Smart Legume Agronomy: Fayaz Shah presented field-tested strategies to maintain legume productivity and resilience amidst shifting weather patterns.
• Drip Irrigation & Equipment Maintenance: Iverene Gill-Wilkinson and Rodney Ramkeesoon demonstrated the operation of drip irrigation systems, emphasizing water efficiency, line maintenance, and proper machinery care.

Field Visit & Real-Time Pest Diagnosis: The workshop concluded with a field exercise where participants evaluated legume plots, identified active leaf miner damage, and applied practical integrated management strategies.

Through ongoing collaborative training, regional partners continue to equip local farmers and technical staff with the tools needed to build resilient, data-driven food systems.