CARICOM launches training to strengthen regional food security 

A three-level Crop Protection training programme will begin on January 26 to build knowledge and practical capacity across the food production and processing sector in CARICOM, supporting safer, more effective, and more sustainable pest management practices.
In a release on Wednesday, the secretariat said that the six-week, distance-learning, self-paced theoretical training is being offered through a partnership between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and COLEAD, a private sector not-for-profit organisation that is devoted to inclusive and sustainable agriculture. The course is designed to meet the needs of professionals such as farm managers, horticultural producers, production managers, nursery managers, crop protection managers, packing managers, service providers, and expert trainers.
Participants will benefit from progressive learning via introductory concepts to advanced integrated pest management strategies across three levels.
According to the release, the introductory level introduces the concept of crop protection, helping learners understand key issues, categories of plant pests and diseases, and the role of chemical control within a crop protection strategy. The intermediate level deepens understanding of pest management by exploring harmful organisms, pest population dynamics, epidemiology, plant diseases, weed competition, and herbicide resistance, with a focus on maximising field and post-harvest yields.
The advanced level focuses on improving pest population management on farms through observation and sampling methods, intervention thresholds, integrated pest management techniques, and case-study-based strategy development.
The training programme is being held as CARICOM builds capacity to achieve the goals of its food security initiative – Vision 25 x 2025 + 5. The initiative aims to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by boosting regional agriculture, improving trade, and creating economic opportunities, focusing on priority products and climate-smart farming, supported by investments in infrastructure such as transport and storage.