 Over two days, pre-operators in the north and south of the island were exposed to refresher training and exercises in pesticide use, legislation and safety, disease monitoring and treatment, record keeping and G-GAP market implications, occupational help, machine safety and maintenance, and the overall Black Sigatoka Disease Management Regimen. Project coordinator of the Black Sigatoka Control Unit, Lucius Alexander says, in moving forward with the revised agenda of agri-food supply and development on the island, the time is rife to ensure that banana farmers are fully equipped and able to manage Black Sigatoka on their fields. For his team of officers, sustainable productivity within the banana sub-sector remains key. When we came in, we found an environment which was and kept for nearly two months. Farmers were not treating the farms, farms abandoned, and also the market situation, we were not exporting to the UK and the regional market system was kind of a mess. So we had to re-motivate the farmers. That training is part of the implementation program, so I said to sensitize them and to make sure that they have the correct techniques and also to know that managing Black Sigatoka is not just spraying from inside. There is another cultural aspect to it, where you need to check your fertilizer, your plant health and the environment and all other pest and disease that are associated with the crop. Meanwhile, fisheries leaders had just the right celebration to keep the growing expectations of the industry afloat. Last week, fisheries and agriculture partners for development converged for the official handover of the Savins Bay Fishing Facility to the Goodwill Fishermen Cooperative. Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre, in applauding the efforts of the agriculture and fisheries ministries focused on food security, says this new priority area aligns with the road map set by his government to improve fisheries livelihoods, stabilize the economy and boost the productivity within the upper food sector. So I'm very pleased that we are going to be signing this MOU this afternoon so that we can put the management of this facility in the hands of the cooperative and I call on each and every one of you to meet the purpose that you will set out for. It's about increasing your livelihood. It's about making life better for the people of Senusia and it's about food security. Minister responsible for fisheries Hon. Alfred Prospe says the work to position the island's fisheries economy on better footing does in many ways start with the empowerment of fisherfolk to ensure that the infrastructure specialized complementary training and technical assistance provided by the Department of Fisheries is utilized efficiently to effect continued positive outcomes in the sector. Therefore the calls of the resource users of Savans Bay have been answered and you are the first for search initiative. The ministry is in discussion with additional fisher organizations to formalize and hand over management responsibility for other fisheries facilities around the island including Dennery South where represent Prale, Souffre and Souazel. As Minister for Fisheries I urge the resource users, fishers, CMOS farmers and the community members to take care of the facility and make it your own. During the course of 2022, Fisherfolk can't expect sustained technical support through the collaboration between the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Development Partners here locally and internationally. From the communications unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, this is Amanda Fakelock reporting.