OVER the past two weeks Taiwan Technical Mission in conjunction with the Ministries of Agriculture and Health conducted a series of special training programs designed to promote health and safety in the production of bananas, and to strengthen farmers’ abilities when facing climate change.
BPIP extension officers Lucien Labanard and Edwin Wilson attended workshops hosted by THE CLIMAKERS Caribbean Regional Consultation and the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO). Subsequently they led the Climate Change session to share the management practices at the farm level to deal with climate change. In the session, proper plant density, staggering planting, planting season, varieties, drainage, fertilizer application, and building resilience were discussed.
Other sessions were led by Taiwanese Banana expert Johnson Wu, nurse practitioners and public health officers. Subjects covered included general farm management, first aid, hygiene, and the safe use of agrochemicals.
Some 240 farmers and their workers benefitted from the programs. The participants came from the communities of Grace, TiRocher, Belle Vue, La Caye and Desruisseaux.
Taiwan Technical Mission supported farmers who participated in the sessions with first aid kits and personal protective gear, which would assist them to meet the requirements of Global GAP.