Dasheen Farmers receive technical support from FAO and CARDI
On Tuesday, July 4, 2023, a three-day Dasheen Validation (improved approach) workshop began at the Methodist Church Hall. Farmers from across St. Vincent and the Grenadines attended the opening ceremony, as did senior technical employees from the Ministry of Agriculture. The workshops’ goal is to provide farmers with a road map for developing sustainable business models and discovering new markets for Dasheen production.
Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry, and Labour, explained the vision and power of consolidating agricultural produce among Caribbean Islands to maximize economies of scale, particularly with the emergence of the Dasheen Sector, in presenting a historical context of trading practices. Minister Caesar stated that during the last 10 years, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has exported around $3 million in Dasheen yearly, and that the goal is to build a $30 million Dasheen sector by 2030 through increasing production.”We have turned a leaf from our previous belief that after the banana industry, there is a need for another crop to emerge; Dasheen has emerged,” Caesar explained.
Idle lands inside an agri-ecological zone must be converted into a production zone for Dasheen, Tannia, and Eddoes, with a high concentration of Dasheen. This was the position of the Agriculture Minister, who stated that inputs and sustained labor support will be provided to agriculture farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Minister Caesar further stated that a World Bank 27 million dollar program will provide help to Dasheen Farmers, as well as the exploration of excellent markets.
Minister Caesar used the opportunity to highlight his Ministry’s commitment to Dasheen Farmers through public-private collaborations in the form of credit facilities.
Minister Caesar also stated that three new players in the sector will be exporting soon as the multiplicity of efforts were unveiled.
Jai Rampersad, FAO Trade Development Consultant, stated that “after the decline of the banana industry, the agriculture industry was left with a void.” Rampersad stated that Dasheen was picked as the crop to carry the industry forward after an assessment of crop feasibility and a thorough understanding of the agricultural sector.
Rampersad went on to say that over the years, a number of developments in production, agro-economic practices, and market development had been implemented, and that these developments had reaped rewards through the establishment of regional markets such as Trinidad and Tobago, where Dasheen exports account for 70% of total exports.
The FAO Consultant emphasized the importance of’structure, direction, and a market’ in the crop’s evolution.
In her remarks, FAO In-Country Representative Dr. Coleen Phillips emphasized that this journey represents the beginning of a revolutionary step toward greater growth, and that a framework is needed to chart the route forward.
The Workshop will cover topics such as the improved strategy and database, production costs, and production planning. The sessions are being held in collaboration with the FAO and CARDI by the Ministry of Agriculture in order to improve the national and regional value chains through technical assistance.
