State of PGR in Trinidad and Tobago Albada Beekham Research - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

State of PGR in Trinidad and Tobago

Albada Beekham Research Division Ministry of Food Production

Collections in the Country

• Ministry of Food Production-
• University West Indies (St. Augustine)
• University of Trinidad and Tobago- Rice, Sugar

cane (16 accessions)

• Private plant producers, farmers
• CARDI-T&T

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production - Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Objectives of the collection

• To conserve, characterize/evaluation and store

for present and future use

• To supply other divisions in the Ministry

responsible for multiplication

• To supply farmers
• Encourage farmers to conserve local crop

diversity

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production - Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Crop # of accessions Crop # of accessions

Bodi 19 Pepper 40 Cucurbits 15 Pigeon pea 12 Corn 8 Seim 17 Jack Bean 2 Sorrel 5 Lima Bean 2 Tomato 3 Melongene 1 Urdi 2 Mung Bean 1 Winged bean 1 Ochro 13 Yam beam 6

State of Conservation- Vegetables

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

150 accession of vegetables

State of Conservation- Fruits

Crop # Accessions Mango 25 Citrus 21 Banana 13 Plantain 4 Carambola 6 Gauva 10 Cashew 5 Coconut 5 Avocado 2 Tamarind 15 Minor fruits 50

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

State of Conservation- Root Crops

Crop # of accession Sweet potato 54 Cassava 44 Yam 38 Dasheen and eddoes 2 Minor root crops 6

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

State of Conservation- Herbs and Spices

Crop # of accession Medicinal plants 48 Herbs and spices 38

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

State of Conservation- Cocoa

Crop # of accessions Trinidad Selected Hybrid 200 Trinidad Selected Amazonia- 5 Other Imperial College 20 International 19 Coffee 5

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

University of the West Indies- T&T

Crop # of accessions Sweet potato 77 Cassava 42 Yam 30 Breadfruit 34 Hot Pepper 260 Cocoa 2400 International Genebank Fruit 52 Banana 16 Jackfruit 2 Chataigne 1

Reference: 1) Trinidad and Tobago 2nd Country Report on PGR compiled in 2008 2) http://sta.uwi.edu/ffa/foodprod/UniversityFieldStation.asp Accessed 9:30am 8/10/12

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

12/4/2012 A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production - Trinidad & Tobago

• EMA given the mandate to update the

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

• UWI contracted to compile report

Chapter on Agrobiodiversity

Method of conservation

• Field
• Seed
• Tissue culture

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Projects-MFP

• Collection and conservation of Underutilized crops
• Evaluation of locally grown corn varieties
• Evaluation of 21 accessions of bird pepper
• Development of an improved Crapaud back variety of pumpkin for

the local market

• Evaluation of 2 year round varieties of Pigeon pea (UW2-6-3, UW2-

5-5)

• Evaluation of 2 year round varieties of Blackeye (UW34, UW38)
• Evaluation of 10 varieties of cassava from Colombia
• Safety duplication of 15 varieties of sweet potato at CIP
• Developing a protocol for germination testing of Shado beni

(Erygium foetidum)

• Characterization of 11 accessions Dolichos sp
• Characterization of 6 varieties of Hibiscus sabdariffa

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Climate readiness

• UWI (St Augustine)-
• Funding recently approved for Climate change projects on :

1) Heat tolerance in Tomato 2) Drought and waterlogging impacts on Cocoa

• Public Sector Investment Programme-

“Implementing a Comprehensive Crop Biodiversity Conservation Programme for T&T”

• Construction of Conservation centre
• Conservation of minor fruit (museum)
• Collection, characterization,
• Ex- situ conservation
• In-situ conservation of Farmers’ collection
• Database development
• Maintenance of genebank and facilities
• Public awareness programme

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Party to treaty and conventions

• ITPGRFA- acceded Oct 2004
• CBD-ratified 1st August 1996
• UPOV-1978 (11 TSH varieties protected)
• International Plant Protection Convention
• Plant Protection Act- 13 of 1975
• TRIPS/WTO
• Cartegena Protocol on biosafety – acceded 5th

Oct 2000

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Policy mechanisms for sharing and use

• Draft Material Transfer Agreement based on SMTA of the

International Treaty on PGR

• National Biosafety Policy drafted- (managing risks associated

with modern biotechnology by providing a transparent and safe environment for development and use) Sharing and exchange issues (locally and internationally)

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

Are objectives being met?

• Support to the Ministry’s 2012-2015 Action

Plan (evaluation of Corn varieties, root crops)

• Research division has supplied seeds/planting

material of improved varieties for commercial multiplication and distribution (pumpkin (CES STARZ), seim, sorrel)

12/4/2012 A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production - Trinidad & Tobago

Needs

• National policy on PGR with specific strategies and actions
• Comprehensive inventory of germplasm in T&T
• Software for compiling a database (GRIN Global) and training in use
• Assistance in design of Conservation Centre (inclusive of staff needs,

equipment)

• Dedicated staff, land infrastructure and funding for PGR activities
• Training in PGR management, climate change strategies
• Legal assistance (Material Transfer Agreement) –exchange from foreign

private and public institutions, or from local institutions working in partnership with foreign research interests

A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production -Trinidad & Tobago 12/4/2012

12/4/2012 A.Beekham Ministry of Food Production - Trinidad & Tobago

Thank You