FARMERS IN western Jamaica have been introduced to techniques in integrated pest management (IMP) through a new teaching method called the Farmers Field School project.
The project is funded by the Government of Jamaica and the European Commission's Caribbean Agriculture and Fisheries Programme.
Philip Chung, Senior Plant Protection Specialist at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), said that the training involved the establishment of two plots - a demonstration plot using IPM techniques and a control plot using traditional farming methods.
FERTILISATION METHODS
He said the participants were taught, among other things, fertilisation methods and how to identify diseases caused by pests.
"The training also dealt with irrigation and water management and farmers were advised on good farming practices such as weeding early to prevent heavy weed infestation," said Mr. Chung.
On completion of training, the farmers received certificates of participation and they are now expected to train other farmers.
And Mr. Chung said that through the training project, farmers would be able to make better crop management decisions.
Grace Smith, farmer, said the training course was very informative. She had lost several produce because of pest infestation. "Crickets were very destructive and used to cut down what we plant but now we know how to get rid of them," she said.
The Farmers Field School concept was first introduced by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1989 in Indonesia. There are plans to implement a similar programme in the eastern part of the island.
