THE WILMINGTON Develop-ment Action Group in St. Thomas is earning valuable foreign exchange from the processing of sweet cassava leaves for the Canadian market.
This seven-year-old farmers' group, which comprises 11 men and women, manufactures coconut-based products for the local market, but in 2000 added the processing of young sweet cassava leaves, which would normally be thrown away after reaping, at the request of a doctor in Canada.
The buyer had expressed an interest in the sweet cassava leaves for the African market in the foreign country. A major component of the African diet, the leaves contain dietary protein, minerals and vitamins, including Vitamins A and C.
The Eastern Jamaica Agricultural Support Project (EJASP), a European Union-funded agricultural development programme, has been helping the group to promote its cassava leaf product with some $300,000 being spent on the initiative during the last three years.
Recently, EJASP provided a commercial freezer for the group to store the processed cassava leaves, before it is air-freighted to Canada.
Janet Lawrence, EJASP's marketing adviser, said some 1,000 kilograms of the packaged cassava product was shipped in April, 2003; however, production had to be postponed due to the lack of adequate refrigerating equipment. Lennox Bartlett, RADA extension officer for Morant Bay, is responsible for monitoring the Wilmington Development Action Group. He said the cassava leaves could be reaped at periods before the main crop was ready, without affecting the growth of the tuber.
THE NEXT ORDER
In the meantime, Donovan Wallace, president of the group, said his organisation was concentrating on making coconut products while it awaits the next order for the cassava leaves. He also said discussions were under way with EJASP to further improve the efficiency of the cassava project.
According to Mr. Wallace, members of the group have attended training courses in business, environmental and quality management conducted by personnel from EJASP and the Scientific Research Council, while training sessions, which focused on marketing and product management, were instructed by the Jamaica Business Development Centre.
