Disease-fee Planting Materials to Safeguard Food Security and Manage Climate-Driven Pests and Diseases

1. GROWING AGRICULTURE AND
INCOMES IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE:
Disease-Free Planting Materials to Safeguard Food
Security and Manage Climate-Driven Pests and
Diseases
Presenter: Alvin Murray
Senior Agricultural Coordinator (Regional)
WUSC PROPEL

2. Background
 Up to the Mid-60s: Jamaica was the 3rd largest
producer of ginger worldwide
 Jamaica still offers the best quality in the world
 At present, 70% of ginger used in Jamaica is
imported
 Inconsistent Quantity - Buyers abroad now refuse
to enter contracts (frequent change of
formulations)
 Low production due to Rhizome Rot and viruses
that affect sweet potatoes
 Clean planting materials must be replenished
every 2-3 years

3. Major Factors
 As climate change takes effect, higher
temperatures result in increased insect
populations/vectors of plant viruses and soil
organisms, such as those causing Rhizome rot
 Poor Quality Planting Materials - Farmers
continue to reuse planting materials from previous
infected crops
 Inadequate planting materials to establish 150
hectares of ginger and 300 hectares of sweet
potato per year
 Inability to recover after droughts and disasters
due to unavailability of clean planting materials

4. Disease Affected Plants

5. Consequences of Using Disease
Affected Planting Material
 Producers are unable to reap desired
yields
 Producers struggle to get 6,000 to 10,000
LBS/acre. Use of disease-free plants
should yield approximately 20 000
lbs/acre
 Increased costs of production
 Inability to consistently supply the market

6. Methodology
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH COUNCIL
AND BODLES RESEARCH STATION
PROPEL AS A CATALYST:
 Build the capacity to produce desired quantities of
disease-free materials
 Research institutions have facilitated the production of
disease-free Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, ginger,
and sweet yam
 Greenhouse operators (intermediaries) grow out
planting material for open field farmers, who will in
turn supply High Value Market (HVM)
 Buyers collect funds for planting materials that will be
used to provide inputs for next planting season

7. Outcomes and Results

8. Outcomes and Results Cont’d

9. The Way Forward

10. The Way Forward

11. RECOMMENDATIONS
 Mechanization of the industry to improve productivity
 Implementation of rain water harvesting and irrigation
methods
 Bulk of production of crops during winter months -
November to April (low hurricane probability)
 Need for increase in value-added processes and storage
activities for produce and planting materials (hurricane-
proof shelter)
 The Facilitation of:
 private sector investments to produce six million
to 12 million ginger plants per annum, at JAD
$15.00/each
 12 million sweet potato slips per annum at JAD
$5.00/each