Department of Agriculture and IICA Drives Sweet Potato Sector Growth Through Regional Innovation Initiative

The Next Generation Sweet Potato in the Caribbean Project is a regional initiative aimed at strengthening the sweet potato industry across Saint Lucia, Jamaica, and Antigua and Barbuda. Funded by the European Union, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the project seeks to improve the productivity, resilience, and competitiveness of the sweet potato sector.

Implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), World University Services Canada (WUSC), and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), the initiative focuses on developing disease-free planting materials, strengthening pest and disease management systems, increasing crop productivity, and expanding market opportunities for farmers throughout the region.