MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Jervis Rowe has been involved in greenhouse farming since 1989, but he is one of those who believes it’s never too late to learn.

For that reason, Rowe, who is vice-president of the greenhouse growers association, was happy to attend a greenhouse technology seminar hosted by Jamaica Drip Irrigation at Kendal, central Manchester recently.

“I was invited to make a presentation on the use of plastics in greenhouse farming, but I was also anxious to hear of any new trends and I was very happy I went,” Rowe told Jamaica Observer Central.

For Rowe, a high point of the seminar was the presentation on polycarbonate cover in greenhouse agriculture delivered by Amit Israeli, an expert in plastic daylighting systems. Modern synthetic materials such as polycarbonate are increasingly being used in agriculture and industry.

“That is technology which is kind of new to Jamaica, but which we have to learn about,” explained Rowe.

“There is always something new to learn… agriculture is a science and science is not static; it is constantly changing,” he said.

Farmers, equipment suppliers, representatives of schools and 4-H clubs were among those represented at the seminar. Topics covered included greenhouse characteristics; structure, management and maintenance of greenhouses; greenhouse components; irrigation; management of vegetable seedlings; growing methods and fertigation.

Rowe described greenhouse technology and protected farming as the “way to go”, especially with climate change resulting in extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and floods.

“In the drought episodes of the last two years, conditions would have been much worse for Jamaica if it wasn’t for greenhouse farmers who managed to keep fresh, locally grown vegetables on the supermarket shelves,” said Rowe.

Jamaica Drip Irrigation is a division of Isratech Jamaica Ltd.