Towards A Regional Co-Operation Project In Agronomic Research For A Sustainable Agricultural Development Of The Caribbean Islands

The associative network of Caribbean researchers concerns the research organizations of the Caribbean insular countries and the French West Indies departments, for which the agricultural sector remains a priority in terms of economic and social development. Agricultures in these countries is confronted with many present or forthcoming plant health problems, all of which justifies the setting of a special program about health and food safety systems and quality of livestock and vegetable production and products in connection with the PROCICARIBE and CARDI programs. This program will be set for the following projects: Bananas and plantains: Impact of the introduction of new hybrid varieties of bananas and plantains on the dynamic balance of the populations of some pathogenic agents and pests, nematodes, fungi, and viruses; Sugar Cane: Support of a sustainable sugar and rum production and preservation of the agricultural landscape in the Caribbean by optimizing the processes of variety selection; Citrus: Promotion of a sustainable citrus fruit cultivation and plant health observatory; Tomato and pepper: Improvement of the market-gardening productions: creation of disease and pests resistant tomato and peppers adapted to the Caribbean environment; Coconut: Towards a global research program on integrated control of the coconut lethal yellowing disease in the Caribbean; Sheltered cultivation in the humid tropics: Training of Caribbean technicians in sheltered vegetable cultivation to improve the durability of these systems of production; Small ruminants: Development of sustainable high quality meat production systems. The expected results are (i) the widening of the cooperation in the sub-region of the Caribbean in pathologic and genetic aspects in some priority crops and selected breeding lines, and (ii) training of a regional research team to manage the continuity of the works in the region. In addition, other results will be (i) development and transfer of new advanced pathologic and genetic methods, (ii) production of knowledge on diseases and genetic resistance and, (iii) creation of new varieties and breeding lines.