The Extension Officer for District 2-North within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation Extension and Advisory Services, Ms. Phyllis Wilson-Miller, facilitated an in-depth training session on Dasheen Production at His Majesty’s Prison within the Region One agricultural area, held on Thursday, 14th May 2026.
A total of twelve (12) participants attended the session, including ten (10) inmates and two (2) prison farm officers.
The training was delivered by Mr. Donawa Jackson of Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI). The session aimed to provide participants with valuable agricultural skills, focusing on the agronomic practices involved in dasheen cultivation, including site selection, land preparation, sucker selection and treatment, planting, weed control, fertilizer application, moulding, and harvesting.
This initiative forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to support training and capacity building within the prison farming community, promote sustainable agriculture and enhance food security.
Through active participation, both farm officers and inmates gained knowledge of best practices necessary to maintain crop health and maximize productivity. The programme also provides inmates with practical agricultural skills that can support their re-integration into society and create opportunities for employment and agricultural entrepreneurship.
Through initiatives such as this, the Extension and Advisory Services remains committed to fostering agricultural development, strengthening community resilience, and promoting sustainable livelihoods through agriculture.
SOURCE: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation
