A three-day Dasheen Validation (upgraded strategy) workshop commenced in here on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at the Methodist Church Hall. The opening ceremony saw farmers across St. Vincent and the Grenadines in attendance along with senior technical staff of the Ministry of Agriculture. The mission of the sessions is geared at providing farmers with a road map to achieving viable business models in exploring new Markets for Dasheen production.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Hon. Saboto Caesar in presenting a historical context of trading practices explained the vision and power of consolidating agricultural produce among Caribbean Islands to maximise economies of scale, particularly within the emergence of the Dasheen Sector. Minister Caesar revealed that over the last ten years St. Vincent and the Grenadines has exported approximately $3 million worth of Dasheen annually and highlighted that the idea and vision is to establish a 30 million dollar Dasheen sector by 2030 through increased production.“Unfolding before our very eyes, we have turned a leaf from where we are of the view that after the banana industry, there is a need for another crop to emerge; Dasheen has emerged,” said Caesar
Idle lands within agri-ecological zone must be turned into an area focused on the production of Dasheen, Tannia and Eddoes with a high concentration of Dasheen. This was the view of the Agriculture Minister who indicated that assistance will be provided to the Agriculture Farmers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines through inputs and continued labour support. Minister Caesar also noted that a 27 million dollar programme from the World Bank will bring assistance to the Dasheen Farmers and importantly the exploration of excellent markets.
Minister Caesar took the opportunity to demonstrate his Ministry’s level of commitment through public-private collaborations by way of credit facilities allocated towards Dasheen Farmers.
As the plethora of initiatives were unveiled, Minister Caesar also announced that currently there are three new players within the market that will be exporting soon.
Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO Trade Development Consultant, Jai Rampersad said “after the decline of the banana industry, the agriculture industry was left with a void.” Rampersad disclosed that subsequent to a review of the feasibility of crops and a firm understanding of the business of Agriculture, Dasheen was chosen as the crop to move the industry forward.
Rampersad added that over the years a number of developments relating to production, agro-economical practices, and market development were rolled out, and underscored that these developments have reaped rewards through the establishment of regional markets such as, Trinidad and Tobago, where 70 percent of the exportation of Dasheen prevails.
The FAO Consultant stressed that having ‘structure, direction and a market’ are critical components in the progression of the crop.
FAO In-Country Representative, Dr. Coleen Phillips in her remarks emphasised that this journey is the beginning of a transformative step toward further growth and added that there is a need for a framework in charting the way forward.
The Workshop will tackle areas pertaining to the upgraded strategy and database, cost of production and production planning. The sessions are being conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with the FAO and CARDI in an effort to enhance the national and regional value chain through technical support.