Seven Crops Project Continues Building Capacity in Dennery South

Attention has been brought to Dennery South as the Agriculture Ministry collaborates with the Taiwan Technical Mission under the Seven Crops Project to introduce new technologies and crop varieties to local farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the Taiwan Technical Mission, through the Seven Crops Project,  has introduced new technology and crop varieties to farmers in Dennery South with a clear objective of bolstering agriculture to reduce the country’s dependence on food imports. The demonstration on Canitus Samuel’s Farm showcased the use of a tiller, highlighting the substantial reduction in labour and cost compared to manual work. Samuel expressed his enthusiasm for this innovative approach in helping him achieve reduced costs and greater profits.

“With this small machine, I must say, before it would have been backbreaking for me. It would have cost about $500 to plough a small plot of land with two guys. But now, in less than two hours, we can plough half an acre for about $140. So, I give thanks for them being around, for all the ideas, all the help.”

On a neighbouring farm, a trial was also observed in which the seven crops project introduced new varieties of cucumber to farmers being grown on a trellis,  which has varying qualities to be best suited for different preparation methods.  Production Specialist attached to the Seven Crops Project, Eric Chen says the new cucumber varieties open up exciting possibilities for farmers, as they can cater to different consumer preferences and culinary uses.

“We are not aiming to surpass the existing varieties, such as Tropicuke; instead, our goal is to compare them to determine if consumers can prepare their dishes in a different way based on the characteristics of various varieties. Through this comparison, we aim to identify the best method and approach for preparing each variety.”

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Rural Development, Honorable Alfred Prospere, expressed excitement about the future possibilities of these newly introduced technologies and varieties. He also thanked the Taiwan Technical Mission for their ongoing assistance in building capacity in the agriculture sector and encouraged young farmers to embrace the new technology.

“I was very happy to see young people attending this session, and this is why I appeal to them: we need them to generate greater interest in the agricultural sector. We know that they are concerned about what happened to their parents and grandparents in terms of their hard work and little income, but I believe now is the time for them to see and understand that new technology will make things better. It will reduce their cost of production, lessen reliance on labour, and they can use certain pieces of equipment that can make life easier for them.”

With the introduction of innovative farming techniques and new crop varieties, as well as funding opportunities provided under the Youth Economy Agency, Minister Prospere says there is great potential for reducing food import expenses and ensuring a more secure and sustainable food supply for the country.