FAO PROTECTED AGRICULTURAL WORKSHOP
Antigua and Barbuda like most of the other small island developing states in the region is highly and disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; the effects of which has caused increasing atmospheric temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increasingly intense storms and droughts that pose severe threat to our socio-economic sectors, Agriculture being no exception.
In light of these factors, our region has no choice but to place particular focus on climate-smart Agricultural practices in hopes of building resilience to existing systems in a bid to foster sustainable development. It is against this backdrop, that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs, spearheaded a three (3) day workshop in October which allowed 27 participants, most of whom operate protected Agricultural systems such as hydroponics and aquaponics, to strengthen their knowledge, innovation and management practices.
The training session forms part of FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme under Innovative Protected Cultivation Systems Project, which will be implemented in four major beneficiary countries, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Barbados.
Activities included capacity building technical classroom and field sessions where participants were immersed in presentations on protected agriculture technology by FAO International Consultant, Mr. Jervis Rowe, who covered important areas such as structural design and engineering of PA systems, Pest and Disease Management and Crop Nutrition.
“Over the years, our Agricultural production has faced serious challenges. Crop production continues to be adversely impacted by pest and disease related issues as well as climatic conditions. Further compounding the situation is the high labor requirements coupled with limited access to land, which have caused seasonal variations in vegetable supply. Despite these extreme effects, our Agriculture holds great prospects for development once the appropriate technologies are adapted and applied by our farmers. The artificialization of vegetable cropping systems under protected cultivation are being viewed as a viable solution to these challenge,” explained FAO National Correspondent, Ika Fergus.
The FAO is committed to giving special attention and providing the necessary technical support to the region in innovative protected cultivation systems in a bid to foster sustainable development in Agriculture. To this end, the project will be implemented over a period of two years with an allocation of US $500,000, which will be shared amongst the aforementioned beneficiary countries.