Rural Farmer, Roland Smith, is managing a small farm with vegetables, small ruminants, and pigs; a challenge for the 35-year-old resident of St.John.
“Working full-time and having to attend to the animals and the farm is very challenging for me but I get it done,” he said.
Smith, who is from Blackbay, has been farming for the past six (6) years and to date has many varieties cultivated including cabbages, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and tannia, along with small ruminants and pigs.
He also explained that he has been significantly affected by praedial larceny but has received support from the Praedial Larceny Task Force, through the St. John community Farm Watch programme.
Roland, who is employed fully as a carpenter, explained the benefits of mixed farming and how each component contributes to the other, “ I just like animals, they help me to keep the garden clean and I get manure which I use for my plants and also get meat which generates income.“
He sees his start in agriculture as an investment in his future. “I have made a start, and I plan to stay in farming. I would like to increase my production.”
Things to note about Roland:
- He is into mixed farming – crops and animals.
- He is a member of a St. John Farm Watch Organisation, which encourages partnership at the community level with farmers, community members, the police, and other stakeholders to reduce instances of praedial larceny
- He is farming part-time and wants to become a full-time farmer
Management of the Croton Scale – Information from the Pest Management Unit.
Effective management of the croton scale Insect can be achieved by doing the following practices:
- Monitor plants for any sign of the presence of the croton scale. Take action once any life stage is observed.
- To reduce the spread of the croton scale, do not move planting material and fruits from infested sites.
- A general field sanitation that includes weeding and pruning is important. Remove heavily infested plant parts from the field and burn where this can be done.
- If natural enemies such as ladybird beetles are seen feeding on these pests, they must be conserved and protected. That is, insecticide application must be avoided.
- Insecticide treatment will be necessary as the insect population increases. Horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps, and neem sprays should be applied. Dishwashing liquid can be added to the solution to help loosen sooty from the plant. One or two repeat applications at 7-day intervals are required to prevent rapid re-infestation.
- At high, persistent infestation, products such as Diazinon, Deltamethrin, Fastac, Ethrine, or Karate are effective. These are contact insecticides that require proper spray coverage to be done during application. Spray treatments must be repeated within 7-14 days.
- Systemic insecticides such as Bemisan, Protect, or Rogor are also effective. They can be soil-drenched to provide a longer period of control.
The Pest Management Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture can be contacted for further details 440 0019, pmugda@gmail.com.
Considerations for Planting Tannia – Taken from the Tannia Factsheet developed by Troy Augustine-Agronomy Division, Ministry of Agriculture Tanteen, St. George’s, Grenada
Edited by Chief Agronomist et al May 2012
Tannia acts as a host for Moko disease which affects the banana industry. Planting material should not be taken from Moko-infected areas, since the infected material can transmit the disease to clean banana-growing areas.
Care should also be taken to ensure that planting material affected by Tannia Burning disease is not selected, since this disease causes rapid decline and death of the plant.
Considerations:
- Planting material should be obtained from tops, sprouting corms, or cormels of healthy and most vigorous plants.
- Planting material should be cleaned of all roots and washed of all soil. Damaged corms or planting material with any signs of decay should be discarded
- Planting material should be dipped in fungicide for 15-30 minutes before planting to control the pathogens which cause Burning disease of tannia. Fungicides include Ridomil or Rizolex at the rate of 30 g per US gallon of water or Carbendazim at the rate of 5-10 ml per US gallon of water.
