Developing a pest monitoring and traceability system in Jamaica– The case of hot peppers and beyond Dionne Clarke-Harris Entomologist, CARDI and Site Coordinator, IPM-CRSP (Caribbean)

The Challenge Jamaican agriculture like that of other ACP countries depends largely on exports to EU and USA. Challenges in conforming to new global trade regulations include the need for strict controls at every stage of the commodity chain and meticulous records To support this, major improvement/ expansion of existing facilities and extensive staff training are fundamental

Jamaican agriculture like that of other ACP countries depends largely on exports to EU and USA.

Challenges in conforming to new global trade regulations include the need for strict controls at every stage of the commodity chain and meticulous records

To support this, major improvement/ expansion of existing facilities and extensive staff training are fundamental

ICT for Development The significant role of ICT in streamlining the compilation and flow of information has been recognized in Jamaica and the Caribbean and several initiatives have been implemented towards evolving systems to enable producers, exporters and regulatory bodies to meet these demands This presentation will describe a highly collaborative and evolutionary process in Jamaica in response to SPS requirements of its major markets

The significant role of ICT in streamlining the compilation and flow of information has been recognized in Jamaica and the Caribbean and several initiatives have been implemented towards evolving systems to enable producers, exporters and regulatory bodies to meet these demands

This presentation will describe a highly collaborative and evolutionary process in Jamaica in response to SPS requirements of its major markets

Hot Pepper A priority non traditional export crop in the country’s agricultural diversification programme as traditional commodities decline with the phasing out of preferential treatment of ACP countries in the global trade arena

A priority non traditional export crop in the country’s agricultural diversification programme as traditional commodities decline with the phasing out of preferential treatment of ACP countries in the global trade arena

Pest threat to US market access for Jamaican hot peppers -Gall midge, a tiny fly pest found on hot peppers being exported from Jamaica to the USA became a major quarantine issue and cause for concern for the future trading of this important export commodity -USDA quarantine officials needed assurance that this pest and other actionable pests would be kept out of their borders

Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) USAID-sponsored IPM CRSP led in the Caribbean by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), provided a technical assistance grant and scientific expertise to a collaborative 1 effort to develop and execute a management strategy to deal with the quarantine pest on hot peppers being exported from Jamaica to the USA.

USAID-sponsored IPM CRSP led in the Caribbean by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), provided a technical assistance grant and scientific expertise to a collaborative 1 effort

to develop and execute a management strategy to deal with the quarantine pest on hot peppers being exported from Jamaica to the USA.

Key Collaborators (IPM CRSP) Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Plant Quarantine Division Research Division Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA) Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Extension Data Management Division Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) Pennsylvania State University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI)

Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Plant Quarantine Division

Research Division

Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA)

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA),

Extension

Data Management Division

Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce

Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division of the

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS)

Pennsylvania State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Monitoring and Surveillance Emphasis was placed on developing a monitoring and surveillance system at the field level -to identify hotspots, pest-free periods and zones. GPS technology was used to map farm locations both of the island’s ports-to intercept the pest and trace back to farm source to effect appropriate management intervention

Emphasis was placed on developing a monitoring and surveillance system at

the field level -to identify hotspots, pest-free periods and zones. GPS technology was used to map farm locations

both of the island’s ports-to intercept the pest and trace back to farm source to effect appropriate management intervention

Integration of World-wide Web and GIS for Real Time Monitoring, Communication and Dissemination of Pest Management Information Penn State University developed software applications to meet specific needs of Jamaica Remote Data Manager (RDM) with Active Server Pages (ASP) using Visual Basic Scripting and data stored in Microsoft Access files ASP was used to enable (1) installation without special server requirements or 3 rd party software (2) remote installation and maintenance and easy database connectivity Another software built in Dephi TM and Map Object TM was used to enable the generation of maps, time-series graphs and a web page

Penn State University developed software applications to meet specific needs of Jamaica

Remote Data Manager (RDM) with Active Server Pages (ASP) using Visual Basic Scripting and data stored in Microsoft Access files

ASP was used to enable (1) installation without special server requirements or 3 rd party software (2) remote installation and maintenance and easy database connectivity

Another software built in Dephi TM and Map Object TM was used to enable the generation of maps, time-series graphs and a web page

Pest monitoring at the port and entry of data into the traceability system Farm codes were placed on boxes of produce supplied for export to allow efficient trace-back of infested peppers to their farm origin

Jamaica Traceability System Spearheaded by the Jamaica Exporters Association and with assistance from the European Development Fund , the traceability system was improved to be web-based, allowing for easy access by all authorized stakeholders

Spearheaded by the Jamaica Exporters Association and with assistance from the European Development Fund , the traceability system was improved to be web-based, allowing for easy access by all authorized stakeholders

Training Training (local and regional) has been a fundamental component Target groups (research, exporters, quarantine, extension) Areas : GIS/GPS technology , data collection, pest diagnosis, database development and management

Training (local and regional) has been a fundamental component

Target groups (research, exporters, quarantine, extension)

Areas : GIS/GPS technology , data collection, pest diagnosis, database development and management

The Evolution “ A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

ABIS The RADA server now houses a web-based farmer database (Agricultural Business Information System-ABIS) of 92,000 farmers and farm codes which Helps monitor/track farmers and commodities Stores data on farm locations (GPS coordinates) Stores demographic data on registered farmers Will ultimately help link producers to markets The system has been reconfigured to be accessible on hand held computers by a closed user group of extension officers and authorized users

The RADA server now houses a web-based farmer database (Agricultural Business Information System-ABIS) of 92,000 farmers and farm codes which

Helps monitor/track farmers and commodities

Stores data on farm locations (GPS coordinates)

Stores demographic data on registered farmers

Will ultimately help link producers to markets

The system has been reconfigured to be accessible on hand held computers by a closed user group of extension officers and authorized users

CaribPestwatch System set up to track the gall midge using Microsoft Access database has since been revised using MacroMedia Flash application, My SQL with a view to adding new pests With funding under an IPM CRSP Global theme grant a model is being developed to monitor three species of fruit flies across the region A view to accommodating expansion to other major quarantine pests and invasive species important to the Caribbean Basin

System set up to track the gall midge using Microsoft Access database has since been revised using MacroMedia Flash application, My SQL with a view to adding new pests

With funding under an IPM CRSP Global theme grant a model is being developed to monitor three species of fruit flies across the region

A view to accommodating expansion to other major quarantine pests and invasive species important to the Caribbean Basin

National Plant Health Surveillance and Pest Response System With funding from the Agricultural Support Services Project, an overarching database designed to accommodate extension, quarantine and research and development sections of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands with unique interface for each group This system will Store interception data Facilitate tele-diagnosis of intercepted organisms for quick decisions Generate reports for internal use Allow traceability to farm origin (pest and pesticide residue interceptions) Store survey and surveillance forms

With funding from the Agricultural Support Services Project, an overarching database designed to accommodate extension, quarantine and research and development sections of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands with unique interface for each group

This system will

Store interception data

Facilitate tele-diagnosis of intercepted organisms for quick decisions

Generate reports for internal use

Allow traceability to farm origin (pest and pesticide residue interceptions)

Store survey and surveillance forms

Conclusion Despite our progress there is still a way to go as tremendous human and financial resources are needed to establish and maintain the systems required to fully address all commodities

Acknowledgements The organizers and sponsors of WITFOR 2007 All collaborators who contributed information for this presentation USAID and IPM CRSP CARDI

The organizers and sponsors of WITFOR 2007

All collaborators who contributed information for this presentation

USAID and IPM CRSP

CARDI

Thank you … The journey continues NEGRIL, JAMAICA