Agriculture feature: Farmers to get training in growing hot peppers

By YOLANDE AGARD, CARDI - (868) 645-1205

May 05, 2013:- The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) is on Monday 6th May, 2013, hosting a training program for Trinidad and Tobago farmers, titled ‘New production and marketing technologies in hot pepper – dealing with the hot issues’. 

It's in collaboration with the Ministry of Food Production (MFP), the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Cocoa Research Centre (CRU) and the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO). 

The venue is the Ministry of Food Production’s Extension Office in Chase Village, Chaguanas from 8:45 am – 4:10 pm.

The Session will expose farmers to technical training in the areas of:

• Planning and Production 
• Planning production and marketing 
• Seedling production and transplanting 
• Soil, water and nutrient management systems 
• Crop protection (insects and mites, diseases and weeds) 
• Postharvest and marketing 
• Harvest and postharvest handling 
• Marketing requirements 

The primary objectives of the session are to expose farmers to new and improved production and marketing technologies aimed at solving burning issues and to sensitize farmers to emerging marketing opportunities for hot peppers.

Participants will have the benefit of the technical competence of the following experts in the field of agriculture research:

• Dr. Janet Lawrence, Entomologist and Unit Head, CARDI Trinidad and Tobago 
• Mr. Herman Adams, Hot Pepper Breeder, CARDI 
• Mr. Edric Harry, IICA 
• Mr. Fayaz Shah, Manager, Five Star Farms 
• Dr. Gaius Eudoxie, Soil Scientist, UWI 
• Dr. Wendy Ann Isaacs, Weed Biologist, UWI 
• Dr. Adesh Ramsubhag, Plant Pathologist, UWI 
• Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan, Biotechnologist, CRU 
• Dr. Majeed Mohammed, Postharvest Specialist, UWI 
• Mr. Ganesh Gangapersad, Quality Assurance Manager, NAMDEVCO 
• Ms. Sheryll Ramroop, Agricultural Officer I, MFP 
• Mr. Ivan Dadd, Extension Officer, MFP 

Dr. Lilory Mc Comie, Director, Regional Administration North of the Ministry of Food Production will deliver the feature address at the opening session.