Castries, St. Lucia, june 26, 2026 (IICA). Efforts to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable food production in the Caribbean are advancing through the ADOPT Caribbean – Soil Health for Climate Resilient Agriculture project, with 49 farmers and technical officers recently trained in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The initiative, led by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with national and regional partners, is gaining momentum as hands-on support reaches communities in northeast Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Activities showcased a blend of field and classroom learning under the project. Soil sampling exercises were conducted in Langley Park and Orange Hill to establish baseline data for improved soil management, followed by training sessions for technical officers facilitated by Ronen Francis of the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Landscape Management (PISLM) and Chaney St. Martin, International Specialist in Water and Soil Management at IICA, with a focus on soil health and the establishment of demonstration plots.
Farmers also participated in practical workshops led by Chaney St Martin, and supported by Technical Specialist in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Michael Dalton and project Consultant Michael Delpeche, where they explored key aspects of crop production – from land preparation and planting to crop management and harvesting.
“ADOPT Caribbean provides an important platform for capacity building for farmers and agricultural technicians,” said Michael Dalton. “We have been able to expose our local technical team to key considerations for experimental plot establishment and provided information for our farmers which gives a sound basis for their operations on their farms. We intend to further advance our interventions through forums such as these for stakeholders, with the intention to promote such practices across the country.”
The project continues with the establishment of demonstration plots, giving farmers the opportunity to see climate-smart practices in action.
The ADOPT Caribbean Project is a regional initiative being implemented in Guyana, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It supports farmers in improving soil health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening climate resilience. The project is being funded through the New Zealand Government’s Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative (NZCSA-LAC), as part of its contribution to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA), and is administered through the Ag Emissions Centre.
More information:
Carrema Lewis
Carrema.lewis@iica.int
