Yam Symposium to Be Held March 11

Stakeholders in the agricultural sector are being invited to the 2025 Yam Symposium on Tuesday, March 11, to be held at the Kendal Camp and Conference Centre in Shooters Hill, Manchester.

The Symposium, which begins at 10:00 a.m., is being staged by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Caribbean, under the theme ‘Empowering Farmers, Connecting Stakeholders’.
Country Coordinator for the Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean Project, being implemented by WUSC Caribbean, Nelsa English Johnson, said the Symposium will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders and is free to the public.

“We will have farmers, extension and technical service providers, buyers, exporters, input providers as well as research and development entities.

The aim is to share insights, exchange ideas and discuss potential partnerships for scaling of an initiative, for the rapid multiplication of seed yams,” she said, in an interview with JIS News, on Monday (March 10).

Mrs. English Nelson said that during the event, findings will be presented on the result of a demonstration pilot featuring the use of minisett technology.

“The pilot highlights the effectiveness of the minisett technology as a consistent and cost-effective method for providing disease-free planting material for soft yam varieties. We will also be partnering with multiple entities, including the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). They will share technical insights and innovations for treating yams as a high-value crop,” she said.

Participants will also hear testimonials from farmers sharing their own experiences using the minisett technology for the production of disease-free planting material for sweet yams.

A presentation will also be made by the Agro-investment Corporation of a business case, on how expanding yam production can be done as a viable business using the seed yam methodology.
“There will also be a panel discussion with local experts across the value chain. They’ll be sharing insights and best practices to underscore the importance of treating yams like a high-value crop,” she said.

Participants can expect to learn innovative crop care and management techniques, which include a deep dive into sprouting, minisetts and the use of seed yams.

Agricultural stakeholders are being encouraged to attend, as the symposium will provide a critical networking opportunity.

“We want to explore establishing connections. It will be a time of networking between farmers and buyers, seeing how feasible it is to create mutually beneficial arrangements among nursery operators, greenhouse providers, input providers and other persons who would be interested in ensuring that there is a consistent supply of disease-free planting material for the soft yam industry,” Mrs. English Nelson said.