A three-level Crop Protection training programme will begin on 26 January to build knowledge and practical capacity across the food production and processing sector, supporting safer, more effective, and more sustainable pest management practices.
The six-week, distance learning, self-paced theoretical training is being offered through a partnership between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, 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, nurseries 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.
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.
Across the three levels, the programme aims to build awareness of crop protection challenges and their impact on food production; strengthen the ability to identify pests, diseases, and weeds; improve understanding of pest dynamics, epidemiology, and resistance; and equip learners with the tools to design and implement effective and sustainable crop protection and integrated pest management strategies.