The inaugural meeting of the Clean Seed Sweet Potato Committee was held this week in Antigua and Barbuda, marking a significant step forward for the country’s root crop sector under the regional Next Generation Sweet Potato Project.

The committee unites technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture, the private sector, and the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) to establish a clean seed system, providing farmers with access to disease-free planting material. This initiative will boost productivity, enhance food security, and strengthen resilience to climate-related challenges.

During the meeting, members outlined project goals, clarified responsibilities, and discussed strategies to scale up clean seed production locally. Antigua and Barbuda has already collected six sweet potato varieties – Black Rock, Hurricane, King Crown, Mandela, Catch Me, and Big Red – which will be sent to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for tissue culture to ensure disease-free planting material.

The committee will meet regularly to monitor progress, coordinate training, and share knowledge, ensuring the project’s benefits reach farmers and communities nationwide.

Implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the European Union, the Next Generation Sweet Potato Project is a four-year initiative across Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, and St. Lucia, aimed at modernizing root crop agriculture and supporting sustainable food systems in the Caribbean.