Antigua and Barbuda has been allocated US $180,000 from a regional investment totaling nearly half a million dollars, aimed at enhancing sweet potato production within Antigua, St Lucia, and Jamaica. This funding is part of the NextGen Sweet Potato Project, which seeks to place the country at the forefront of agricultural innovation. The project, funded by the FAO under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, will see the remaining investment distributed among the other participating countries. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) spearheads this initiative, which commenced in August 2024.
During the initial consultation, irrigation specialist Bradbury Browne provided historical data illustrating the seasonal production challenges local farmers have faced since the 1980s, specifically between April and October. Data from trials across three zones—Cades Bay, Green Castle, and Betty's Hope—were presented. Gregory Bailey, Director of Agriculture, emphasized the project's use of digital technology and precision agriculture to optimize resource utilization, focusing on water availability and access to vigorous planting material.
The project also explores value-added product development, including the creation of composite bread with 40 percent sweet potato flour, which could potentially reduce flour imports by 5 percent. Browne mentioned the existence of at least 79 different sweet potato varieties. Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, the project's technical leader, highlighted the use of modern breeding techniques and the project's contribution to institutional capacity building, particularly within the statistics and research unit.
The project, which addresses challenges like hurricanes, excessive heat, droughts, salt degradation, and water scarcity, aims to optimize production through efficient land, water, and nutrient use. It includes farmer education and international exposure, with plans for two farmers showing significant improvement to participate in a sweet potato conference in the US.
Source: AntiguaObserver