THE government of Taiwan recently assigned banana expert Tsung-Hsien Wu, a specialist at the Taiwan Banana Research Institute (TBRI), to assist in the implementation of the banana productivity improvement project in Saint Lucia.
Wu has ample expertise in banana production, pest control, climate adaptation and post-harvest technology. He will collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture, stakeholders of the banana industry and local farmers to monitor and control major pests and diseases, with an aim to increase banana field productivity levels from a low of 5-8 tonnes to 10-15 tonnes per acre.
The banana productivity improvement project will be implemented over a four-year period. During the first year, a major focus will be put on restoring the industry to pre-Hurricane Matthew conditions and increasing productivity on existing acreages.
Thereafter, attention will be placed on expanding current acreages, enhancing resilience to climate change, establishing sustainable financing mechanism, building capacity and strength in disease control measures.