The National Agricultural Research Extension Institute (NAREI) is set to benefit from Surinamese expertise in fighting black sigatoka, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Suriname and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) on Friday.
Head of CARDI Dr Arlington Chesney said, “Until now Surinamese expertise was not available to us so now we know that we have this expertise we will blend it with what NAREI has done; what Jamaica has done and come up with perhaps a better set of practices.”
He said that it was a win-win situation for all involved, highlighting that NAREI’s lack of success in the past with fighting the fungal disease that attacks banana and plantain trees, will be aided by Surinamese expert.
Chesney said during the signing of the MoU on Friday in Suriname, during the CARDI/CTA supported Caribbean Week of Agriculture that the project has already received extensive funding from the Caribbean Development Bank.
He said that by not needing to mobilise funds, CARDI could commence the work that was necessary alongside the Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname.
CELOS Director Dr Inez Demon said Suriname was already equipped with experts who could be utilised in the region. She noted that at the board level of CELOS there were persons dedicated to research on black sigatoka.
Demon said that CELOS currently has the capacity and that it should not be a problem to disseminate expertise. She said Suriname had a “wealth of information,” on the subject matter.
Demon noted that while the MoU was only spoken about during the opening of the CWA 2014, discussions were already underway on plant pathology and how to implement containment efforts.
She said it was a combined effort to develop research. Black sigatoka has devastated crops in Guyana for since 2009. In 2010 NAREI was able to bring the disease under control following a six-month, $10 million investment in a number of surveys, engagements with farmers across the country and consultations with international microbiological scientists and plant pathologists.
The disease is incredibly difficult and expensive to control due the spraying that is involved. Guyana, Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are the four countries that will benefit directly from the project and assistance from CELOS.
