A regional initiative to improve sweet potato cultivation and protect plant genetic resources is progressing through the Next Generation Sweet Potato Production in the Caribbean Project. The program is engaging stakeholders across Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago through a Community of Practice supported by technical experts.
According to a press release, the project is implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), in collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture in Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia, as well as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).
© Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
As part of the program, a series of online training sessions has been conducted, involving 73 participants from academic institutions, technical agencies, and public and private sector organisations.
The sessions focused on identifying, classifying, and documenting sweet potato varieties. Delivered in partnership with the International Potato Center (CIP), the training forms part of a regional strategy to support genetic diversity, strengthen seed systems, and improve resilience in production.
Participants completed five virtual sessions covering 30 internationally recognised descriptors used to distinguish sweet potato traits, including variations in leaves, vines, and roots. This knowledge was applied in field-based exercises across four participating countries.
In Antigua and Barbuda, agricultural authorities reported that around 73 sweet potato accessions have been recorded. A further 19 varieties are expected to be introduced through collaboration with CIP under the project.
IICA indicated that the initiative also focuses on building capacity to identify and conserve plant genetic material, while supporting farmers in adopting improved varieties suited to production conditions. These measures are expected to support food and nutrition supply in the region.
The project is funded by the Benefit-sharing Fund of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with additional support from the European Union.
Now in its fourth year, the program continues to support knowledge exchange and coordination across participating countries, contributing to the development of regional sweet potato production systems.
Source: Dominica News Online
