Several agencies have combined resources with the Ministry of Agriculture to host a one-day workshop for farmers on building capacity to develop a sustainable quality seed management and conservation, especially following natural disasters.
The Inter-America Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and Alliance Bioversity & CIAT combined efforts with the ministry to mount the workshop that was held at the Multi-Purpose Cultural Centre on Tuesday.
Director of Agriculture, Gregory Bailey, who delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony, noted that the focus on sustainable seed management and conservation is critical. “It begins with the seed,” he stressed, “As without access to viable high-quality genetic material, all other inputs – fertilizers, irrigation, land preparation – are rendered ineffective.”
He explained that the seed is the biological foundation of the food systems and its integrity determines the success of crops, the yields, and ultimately, the nation’s food security.
“This programme is intended to introduce participants to the principles of seed production, conservation and integrated pest management, with a specific lens on disaster preparedness and post disaster recovery. It aims to establish a high-quality national seed programme that prioritizes short-term crops of national interest – those that can be rapidly deployed to restore food production in the wake of hurricanes, droughts or other climate-related shocks, while at the same time are economically viable,” he stated.
IICA country representative Craig Thomas underlined the significance of the workshop by explaining that while visiting another country recently, he was taken to a facility that housed a wide variety of seeds that were sourced locally and internationally as well as the different soil-types of the country. The reason for this he explained was to ensure that the country would be able to rebound quickly in the event that there was a natural disaster.
The workshop, he further explained, was an attempt for Antigua and Barbuda to begin working towards establishing such a facility at some point in the future.
