The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), a collaborating agency in the local ASTI initiative, has initiated further development of the Alvin Murray powered backpack sprayer technology. This follows from RADA's mandate to promote and facilitate improved agricultural productivity through advanced technology, for rural development.

As such, discussions are under way with Mr. Murray to further review and refine the structural, functional and aesthetic features of the sprayer, towards producing a commercially available model. This effort is led by the authority's Division of Technology, Training & Technical Information.

Omission

In preceding articles in this series published in this column 'Eye on Science' on December 21, 2006, and January 11, 2007, the following farmers were highlighted: Dr. Lyndon Johnson, Messrs. Chris and Peter Hughes and Leroy Delahaye, respectively. These farmers were participants in a case study to identify innovative Jamaican farmers and their innovations which were of economic, social and environmental benefits to the farmer and the country. This study was coordinated by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute and funded by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation. The articles were extracts from the final report of this study.

Contact: Phillip Chung, director, Technology, Training and Technical Information (Ag), Hope Gardens, Kingston 6. Telephone: 927-1780-1; Email: chung_p2@yahoo.com.