Over the past two months, Taiwan Technical Mission in Saint Lucia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, has been disseminating a wide range of new banana technologies to local farmers via the Banana Productivity Improvement Project (BPIP). Overall, 17 workshops covering 8 agricultural regions were held and 470 farmers have benefitted from BPIP. The workshops were conducted by Taiwan banana expert Mr. Johnson Wu and Saint Lucian project manager Mr. Kerde Severin.
The new technologies thus introduced include banana production, irrigation systems, soil nutrition, disease and pest control, drainage, seedling management, fertilizer application as well as newest agricultural practices. They are all important tools for local farmers interested in starting a banana business.
Head of the Mission Mr. Mario Cheng emphasized the importance of building a sustainable banana supply chain in Saint Lucia, which can not only stimulate economic growth of Saint Lucia but also boost the income, employment opportunity and food security of thousands of households in rural communities. The Mission will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to further enhance the capability of local farmers.
To date, over 250 field technical advisory services have been conducted and over 30 drainage facilities, 40,000 seedlings, and training for over 500 farmers have been introduced through BPIP. They have contributed tremendously to the competitiveness of local farmers.
