21 farmers from the Cayo District are currently attending a one-day workshop at Central Farm on the Cultivation of Soursop. The training comes through the Sustainable Development of Resilient Value Chains – Implementation of CARICOM COVID-19 Agri-food Recovery Plan” Project, signed back in October of 2020.

This Agri-food Recovery Plan is a regional project involving Belize, Dominica, Guyana and St. Lucia with objectives of strengthening the technical, tacit and process capability of ministry staff to select and develop high potential national value chains and also to focus on one selected value chain per country.

Facilitator for the training is Dr. Abel Reboucas, an agronomist from Brazil who holds a doctorate from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil in Tropical Fruits with concentration in citrus, mangos, passion fruit, soursop, papaya, avocado and coconut.

The workshop comprised of both theory and practical aspects of Soursop Cultivation. Topics will include Physiology and Floral Biology of Soursop, Soursop Varieties, Climate and Soil Requirements, Propagation and Planting Density, Pruning, Nutrition and Fertilizers, Irrigation, Pest and Diseases, Fruit Bagging and Pre/Post Harvest.

The workshop will also be held for farmers in the northern and southern districts.