TRELAWNY, Jamaica — A Regional Centre of Excellence for Agricultural Innovation is to be established in Jamaica, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Dr Muhammad Ibrahim, announced Sunday night.

The centre, being championed by Agriculture Minister Floyd Green, will form part of IICA’s efforts to strengthen agricultural innovation and resilience across the Caribbean.

Ibrahim made the announcement at the opening of the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) at Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Trelawny. The conference, being held under the theme “The New Face of Caribbean Food Systems”, runs from September 27 to October 2.

He said IICA is also supporting a regional quality-seed programme with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), while in Jamaica it will assist with climate-smart demonstration plots, extension services and agricultural disaster planning.

Ibrahim also announced the establishment of an agricultural health and food safety hub in Barbados.

The initiatives come as Caribbean agriculture faces rising energy and input costs, climate-related shocks, global trade disruptions and emerging pests and diseases.

Ibrahim cited African swine fever, Fusarium TR4, frosty pod in cocoa and witches’ broom in cassava among the threats confronting the region.

“This is particularly important because of the innate vulnerabilities of the Caribbean member states,” he said, pointing to the region’s exposure to economic and hydrometeorological shocks.

He said greater use of digital and precision agriculture, artificial intelligence and other technologies will be necessary to improve productivity and resilience.

Ibrahim also identified access to financing as a major constraint and said IICA would work with financial institutions and the private sector to mobilise resources for agriculture.

He said IICA is also pursuing cooperation with Argentina and Brazil to bring additional expertise and technology to the region.

Ibrahim stressed that addressing the challenges facing Caribbean agriculture will require collective action.

“We also recognise that this effort is beyond that of any one organisation or government,” he said.

— Horace Hines