Promoting proficiency for breeding new vegetable varieties in the Americas

With the support of the Government of Taiwan, WorldVeg began a project in 2021 with a major focus on developing a vegetable network in the region to improve production and introduce and promote new vegetable varieties for domestic and export markets to sustainably improve the livelihoods of resource-poor populations in seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This year, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) office in Belize hosted the annual stakeholder workshop on 22 April and training course on 23-26 April for participants in the project. This gathered feedback on the work done so far to ensure maximum impact from the project activities.

The workshop was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Ambassador of Taiwan to Belize, Hon. Li-Wen Hsu, and 28 participants from the University of Belize, the Belize Ministry of Agriculture, farmers and other national stakeholders, as well as project participants from Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The four-day training event aimed to improve the proficiency of researchers in the region on disease diagnosis and management, breeding strategies, and seed production, with a special focus on pepper and tomato. Trainers included WorldVeg researchers Derek Barchenger (pepper breeder), Assaf Eybishitz (tomato breeder) and Lourena Maxwell (plant pathologist). In addition, a fact sheet on diseases identified in Belize’s Cayo District is planned, which will be useful for farmers in decision making for disease management approaches.

The reports work from the project ‘Promoting vegetable diversity for more resilient livelihoods and healthier diets in the Latin America and Caribbean Region’, funded by the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Implementation is led by the World Vegetable Center with partners in Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.