A special training in the planting of Yampie seedlings germinated from seed collected from the Rio Pedro Valley watershed, will be held on Wednesday August 23, 2023 at the following Plots: Jupiter Hill at 8:30 am, New Mt Industry Primary School at 10:15 am and The Rose Hall Training Center, Linstead at 12:30 pm.

All participants and interested farmers in the Youth Yam Farmers Training Programme (YYFTP) currently being coordinated by the Biotechnology Center Medicinal Plants Research Group, The UWI, Mona led by Dr. Sylvia Mitchell, The St.Catherine 4H Club and the Rio Pedro Valley Watershed Management Council, farmers and others stakeholders are welcome to attend.

This initiative is important as the team is reseeding the watershed with Yampie, the only food yam native to the Americas. This will be the first time these seeds have been collected, successfully germinated and going back to be planted at five locations in St Catherine - three on August 23rd (above) and two more on August 25th (Bottom field and Content field). Last year the team germinated and managed to grow seven seedlings to harvest but this is the first time they have produced enough for distribution. The aim is to plant at least 160 Yampie seedlings in St. Catherine.

Photo caption: Yampie seedlings and members of the YYFTP with a few farmers.

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