KINGSTON, Jamaica – More than 40 stakeholders in the coconut sector across the Caribbean are in the island participating in a five-day Regional Coconut Workshop being held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston from March 4 to 8.

Participants include coconut growers, researchers, agro-processors, government representatives and Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) personnel from several countries.

Being held under the theme ‘Sustainable and resilient coconut production within a changing climate’, the workshop provides an opportunity for networking and knowledge sharing of best practices in coconut production.

Advisor to the International Trade Centre (ITC), Cliff Riley, said the main objective of the workshop is the exposure of regional partners to a number of the key institutions responsible for agro-production.

“The workshop also aims to bolster the coconut sector in their respective countries and to expose them to what occurs here in Jamaica. The research is very advanced here in Jamaica and the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) team has done some very important research to guide the development of the industry and to combat some of the diseases and pests that affect coconuts,” he said.

Some of the participating countries include Grenada, Belize, Barbados, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Suriname.

Participants will be able to share the knowledge gained from the presentations and sessions with other stakeholders within their home countries.

Riley pointed out that participants also got the opportunity to take part in field visits.

“The teams coming into Jamaica have been exposed to different aspects relating to coconut production. They are visiting quite a number of farms and fields of our innovative farmers and working closely with the CIB at their different facilities. There they are taught different aspects, such as hybridisation, procedures and principles, as well as being exposed to different components, such as crop management,” he said.

The participants are also exposed to disease mitigation and climate-smart agriculture.

Meanwhile, Riley said workshops such as these are crucial for regional development.

“The International Trade Centre has a heavy focus on the regional directive, so we are not so focused on building out a coconut sector in any one country. We want a Caribbean Community (Caricom) type of initiative, drive and thrust, because the entire strength of the coconut sector will not only reside in one country but the collective capabilities of the regional partners to meet those demands across the board. It is very important, and we must learn from each other,” he emphasised.

-JIS