Locally grown high-value crops aimed to reduce food import bill
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held its first post-harvest technology and collaborative training session of the year with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy for extension officials, processors, and farmers on January 15 at the Fisheries Complex in Roseau, Dominica.
During the week-long training led by FAO, the group of 25 participants gained thorough understanding of harvest and post-harvest technology and best practices, with an emphasis on lowering product losses, boosting value chain efficiency, and improving crop quality and safety. Dr Mohammed Majeed, Post-Harvest Specialist, drilled down on critical topics such as post-harvest loss quantification, pre-harvest factors affecting shelf life, quality measurement procedures, packaging, cooling, temperature management and transportation. This approach was successful in providing participants with comprehensive insights on methods to increase the yields of high-value vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet peppers, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers.
Ahead of the customized training, the Ministry of Agriculture sought FAO’s technical assistance to evaluate the feasibility of growing a variety of vegetables, including imported temperate crops, across Dominica’s diverse agroclimatic zones back in 2023. This scoping study considered key factors such as elevation, year-round water availability for irrigation, and the quality and varieties of seeds available. Findings from the study identified specific agroclimatic zones suitable for cultivating specialty vegetable crops which have the potential to reduce imports, increase farmers’ incomes, and create opportunities for export to neighboring countries.
In speaking about the success of the training which considered the island’s high susceptibility to climate change and scarcity of arable land, among other agricultural issues, Mrs Anne Desrochers, FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Specialist stated, “improved harvest and post-harvest practices are important to improve quality, minimize food waste and achieve food safety. This training will increase local capacities and knowledge within the Ministry of Agriculture as part of the objectives agreed in the current project of the Technical Cooperation Programme to boost high value vegetable crop production”.
Grand Fond farmer Mr Marcus Cuffy who attended the training benefited significantly from the information he learnt, especially about cold storage. He expressed, “the session was very informative. I intend to share the knowledge with other farmers and put what I learnt into practice”.
Mr Keian Stephenson, Technical Extension Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO National Correspondent stated that, “the farmers demonstrated a great deal of interest in ways they can reduce harvest loss during the training,”. They learnt simple, but practical methods that will increase the amount of produce that reaches the market and put more money in their pockets. On the other hand, exporters and handlers gained knowledge on how to enhance their packaging and minimize losses in their pack houses”.
By applying the skills and insights gained from this training, stakeholders in Dominica’s agricultural sector are now better equipped to strengthen local food production, enhance food security, build a sustainable and resilient future.
