Sweet potato research project showing positive results

A sweet potato research project currently being undertaken by the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI), is said to be already showing good results.

CARDI’s local representative Donowa Jackson said the project is designed to strengthen the production of sweet potato which is facing numerous challenges.

He spoke to the Agency for Public Information (API), at the CARDI field office at Orange Hill where significant sweet potato research is underway.

He explained that the research is being conducted under the the Regional Sweet Potato Value Chain Enhancement and Technology Transfer Project which is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank.

Jackson said sweet potato production here faces many challenges from pests and climate change and the project seeks to introduce varieties and techniques designed to combat these challenges.

He noted that even as research work is still ongoing, so far, the Jackson and Rasta vines variety have been doing quite well with minimal impact from pests and concluded that the good result could be attributed to CARDI’s recommended management practices (API).