Cassava yields in Trinidad and Tobago expected to rise!

The Food Security Programme of Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Affairs (MEPLMA) along side the National Food Production Action Plan 2012-2015 has acknowledged Cassava as one of the country's staples. This acknowledgement has incited the participation of the Columbia's International Centre for Tropical Agriculture. The National Food Production Action Plan main objective is to increase cassava production from 5,454 tonnes to 18,182 tonnes. To carry-out this objective a week research programme was held at the UWI involving the following members: 

• Dr. Clair Hershey, leader of the Cassava Programme at  Columbia's International Centre for Tropical Agriculture
• Dr. Judy Rouse-Miller, Lecturer of Botany at UWI (facilitator for Dr. Clair Hershey)
• Dr. Roosevelt Escobar, leading research scientist in Colombia

Columbia's International Centre for Tropical Agriculture has been successful in executing micro propagation of cassava clones with the use of cost-efficient temporary tissue culture systems. These culture systems provides rapid turnover of planting material for cassava production. This method has been perceived as a viable source for sustainable development, since it is capable of increasing cassava production. 

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