Permanent Secretary(P.S.) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Raymond Ryan said the launching of the Banana Revitalization Programme through the Improvement of the Black Sigatoka Management Project will continue to augment this country’s continuing efforts to control the Black Sigatoka Disease and will find mechanisms to reduce cost to farmers and improve the quality and quantity of food produced.
He said this holistic approach takes into consideration the main factor affecting the management of the disease and will seek to improve them.
The Agriculture P.S. pointed out that a number of activities are included in the first phase of the project namely soil sampling, global positioning system, mapping of farms, farmer training in disease identification and management, provision of equipment and provision of fungicide to control the disease.
He noted that “The Ministry continues to strive for the improvement of the livelihood of all farmers throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines and it is envisaged that this project will make a significant impact on the control of the Black Sigatoka. “