KINGSTON, Jamaica – About 200 farmers gathered at the Kendal Camp and Conference Centre in Shooters Hill, Manchester, on March 11, for the 2025 Yam Symposium, held under the theme ‘Empowering Farmers, Connecting Stakeholders’.

With yam being Jamaica’s primary agricultural export, the country is recognised internationally as one of the largest exporters of yam.

As such, efforts are made to safeguard and advance yields, protect the country’s reputation and brand as a world leader in yam production, which will secure thousands of livelihoods along the value chain and contribute directly to economic growth.

This is where the work of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Caribbean – the entity responsible for staging the symposium – is critical.

The symposium was a single event that formed part of a larger five-year thrust under the Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean (SAC) Project.

Funded by the government of Canada, the Can$20-million project benefits five countries – Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, St Lucia and Dominica.

Deputy Parish Manager of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) in Manchester, Carl Myers, told the gathering that the event was critical to fostering meaningful connections between the hard-working farmers and key stakeholders.

“Jamaica has long been known for producing some of the finest yam in the world, a testament to the dedication, skill and perseverance of our farmers. The importance of yam to our local economy, food security and heritage, cannot be overstated,” he said.

From the repeated applause and cheers of an engaged audience, it was clear that farmers were truly receptive to the demonstrations and testimonials of how Minisett technology works, advice on tackling yam rust disease, tips on soil management and the precise use of fertilisers, among other topics.

Participants joined from 10 parishes namely Portland, Manchester, St Andrew, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St Ann, St Thomas, Trelawny, St Catherine and Clarendon. The event was also streamed online.

Deputy Project Director for the SAC Project and Advisor on Agriculture and Capacity-Building with WUSC, Munish Persaud, said the yam fields of Jamaica hold more than just crop.

“They hold potential, they hold livelihoods and they hold food security. It is too important not to give it a serious look if we want to strategise. The journey towards a thriving yam market is one of strategy, resilience and bold action. This is not just another meeting, this is a rallying call, a moment to confront the realities of market constraints and forge a new path towards growth, profitability and the sustainability of the yam industry,” he said.

The event provided an opportunity to showcase techniques for the rapid multiplication of yam planting material, connect farmers with critical stakeholders, such as input providers, as well as facilitate the sharing of farmer realities.

Presentations were made by the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC), RADA, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Farmers and key personnel from WUSC.

The event also featured various stakeholders, including multiple input suppliers such as Newport-Fersan, Caribbean Chemicals Jamaica and Agro Ventures.

Agronomist in Manchester and St Elizabeth working with Newport-Fersan, Sajae Jones, said the company partnered with WUSC and continues to provide expert advice for farmers at all stages for the optimal development of their crop.

“We would recommend that you use the booster line. It would be the start booster for planting, then the vegetative booster at two months, then the yield booster at three months. So, that’s two bags per acre for the start, two bags per acre for the ‘veg’ and then three bags per acre for the yield booster. Those will be able to provide more nutrients than the traditional blends and at a better cost,” he said.

At the heart of the presentations was the special attention paid to soft yam varieties, specifically sweet yams, which demonstrate strong export potential but face challenges as a result of diseases.

Scaling production, using innovation and research to improve yields and provide high-quality and clean planting materials formed key aspects of the conversations from industry experts and questions from farmers.

Farmer from Cedar Valley, St Thomas, Stachin Coley, who was part of a three-week training programme with WUSC, attended the symposium out of her personal interest to produce more yams.

“I found this to be beneficial because we plant St Vincent yam, but the sweet yam would be a big project. They were teaching us about entrepreneurship, so as a little farmer, I am interested in entrepreneurship, and I want to export yams abroad. It’s a really good idea and it would be a good investment. Currently, I do a variety of things like coffee, carrots, Irish and sweet peppers. We plant yellow yam, but not sweet yam, so I really want to try this one,” she explained.

Yam farmer from St Elizabeth, Vicas Dunkley, who plants mainly renta yams, said he was happy to come to the symposium, as he learned how to cut yams using the Minisett technique.

–         JIS