 The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO, have completed a single bird technology, nursery development and field production workshop. The workshop aimed to boost local production and enhance export potential by equipping participants with advanced ginger cultivation techniques like single bird technology, nursery development and efficient field practices through interactive sessions and practical demonstrations. The three-day workshop held at the Union Orchid Garden Center drew a diverse group of stakeholders, including farmers, experts and government officials. Perishables manager Marcy Storz, Dunstan DeMille, says the ginger market is showing promising signs of growth and diversification, providing ample opportunities for both local producers and international buyers alike. We need money circulating in the economy. So, I mean, farmers that would empower them, you know, they would have a little more income. They would also help in healing the nation because there's so much you could get out of ginger. I mean, a lot of people look forward to it. Sometimes I bring 2,000 pounds of ginger out of Dominica and it hardly lasts a week at the store. So, you know, the potential is huge. And now we're going into, we're just getting out of length. You know, people look forward to ginger at the time of the year. So, I wish to see our production in increasing sedentary. I personally believe the market is there. So, people don't have to go looking for the market. But we have to find ways to work together so that we can access that market and keep developing it because there's merit in developing the market. Throughout the workshop, participants gained insights into best practices, funder's redevelopment, field management and post harvest handling, ensuring the sustainability and quality of ginger production. Agricultural officer and FAO focal point, Kenneth Elver, explained that the initiative is part of a larger project promoting competitive import substitution and export agricultural value chains in Saint Lucia. One of the key training material is focused on the single bird technology that will aid farmers in increasing the ginger planting material and produce disease-free planting material. Also, in the past, the ginger isoam that has been utilized for planting material, the quantity of it which has been used, which is, for example, 2,000 pounds of ginger is required to plant an acre. However, with the single bird technology, you can utilize only half of that amount to plant an acre. So, in that way, it helps to increase production for farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and World Development expressed gratitude to the FAO for their invaluable support in building capacity within the sector, highlighting the collaborative efforts that underscore a shared commitment to promoting agricultural competitiveness and sustainability within the industry. From the communications unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Anisia Antoine reporting.