Developing disease-free potato planting materials

Published on June 15, 2026

Saint Lucia is participating in a regional Sweet Potato Innovation Initiative aimed at producing the next generation sweet potato.

The project seeks to improve the productivity, resilience, and competitiveness of the sweet potato sector.

The project is 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).

It is being implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

Also participating are the 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.