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2nd half 2015:

In this newsletter, we have a report from a congress, a PhD

defense, a regional seminar and updates on our regional

partnerships. Read on to find out what happened during the

second half of 2015. We hope you enjoy our newsletter!

Cabaré goes into extra time

An addendum to the Cabaré project enabled the creation of a

sixth work package (WP) on integrated protection and

sustainability of Caribbean agricultural sectors. This WP is

positioned between Interreg IV and the future Interreg V

program which CIRAD and its Caribbean partners wish to

undertake. Its objective is to support the Caribbean

agricultural sector in its agro-ecological transition.

A joint project with 11 territories. Various projects were

undertaken by CIRAD in 2015 as part of a joint project

(WP6), with support from the Interreg IV program. Eleven

territories were involved (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Cuba,

Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Haiti,

Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines).

Work on six major crops. This project has diagnosed

production methods, phytosanitary constraints and

consumption patterns on six crops of major interest to the

insular Caribbean (citrus, pineapple, banana, coffee, yam,

tomato) and assessed varietal diversity. Good biological

function in soil is essential in crop production: the project

supports the CIRAD’s "Ecology and soil performance"

laboratory in Martinique. Its goal is to analyze Caribbean soil

samples for biological quality and train partners.

Active surveillance of animal and emerging diseases.

The project has strengthened the monitoring and diagnostic

capabilities for priority diseases in the Caribbean, particularly

emerging diseases in the pig and poultry sectors (Epidemic

Swine Diarrhea and Avian Influenza) and vector-borne

diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes.

A reflection on public policies to develop sustainable

industries. Finally, the project has launched a debate on

public policies and strategies in the sustainable development

of cane and banana. This work will extend to other sectors in

the future integrated project.

Expenditure report

The projects benefiting from European funds must submit an

expenditure report to the Joint Technical Secretariat every 6

months. The CIRAD Cabaré team filed the 10th expenditure

report in October 2015. The final report is being prepared and

will be submitted in February 2016.

CIRAD WP6 Regional Cooperation

Twenty regional cooperation missions were organized in the

Caribbean including Barbados, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica,

Dominican Republic and St. Lucia. These missions

strengthened monitoring control networks for pests and

diseases of 4 major Caribbean crops (citrus, pineapple,

banana, tomato). These missions were organized mostly by

delegation (two CIRAD experts in Jamaica, four in the

Dominican Republic and eight in Cuba) with the support of the

Ministries of Agriculture of the countries visited. The CIRAD

shared its research and technical knowledge with partners on

ongoing projects, and carried out producer surveys to identify

the main biotic and abiotic constraints of four target crops.

These missions resulted in the acquisition of technical

information which will help consolidate regional partnerships.

They were also an opportunity to continue the integrated project

work that will be filed as part of the Interreg V program. Finally,

these missions allowed CIRAD agents to meet European

delegations in the Caribbean, including in Barbados.

K. Tomekpe attends a meeting with banana producers from the

varietal innovation network in Jamaica

P. Ollitrault (CIRAD) and two IFTM researchers (M. Aranguren and G.

Sosa) talking to citrus growers planting Victoria Giron in Cuba

Highlights: July: Budget filing extension CPHD meeting in Aruba Flu Workshop in Barbados August: Storm Erika in Dominique

September: Monitoring of project agronomic experiments Regional Missions October:

10th expenditure report submitted Igname workshop ResisT Meeting Regional Missions Novembee : Acceptation of Post Disaster project Regional Missions Cirad Day of European Cooperation CaribVet Workshop Genetic Resources Workshop Regional Seminar in Guadeloupe December: Teresa Martinez PhD defense Soils analytical platform

Issue 8: July - December 2015

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The Cabaré Project newsletter

Visit of the CIRAD delegation to INISAV (from left to right: Y.Chilin-

Charles, J.-C. Govindin, A. Soler, K. Tomekpe and E. Javer H, INISAV)

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The Cabaré project newsletter

WP6 Workshops

Focus on yam

The Yam workshop was organized and led by Gemma

Arnaud, researcher at UMR AGAP CIRAD Guadeloupe, and

was held from October 20 to 23 at the Guadeloupe Roujol

location. Guests included Ricot Scutt, a specialist in Roots

and Tubers in the Haiti Ministry of Agriculture and partner in

the DEVAG project (Interreg IV), two researchers from the

University of Bogota, Gloria Amparo Huertas Corredor,

specialist in Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus and Silvia Lizette

Bustamante Rodriguez, specialist in anthracnose, and two

Cuban partners, Yuniel Rodriguez from INIVIT and

Misterbino Borges from the University of Granma.

This workshop focused on preparation for the RezoCaribEco

component of the upcoming Interreg V project, especially two

actions planned: evaluation in partner countries of innovative

hardware created in Guadeloupe and improving soil fertility,

on which Colombia and Cuba leads. During the workshop,

the partners discussed implementing trials in each country.

Participants at the Yam workshop, 20-23 Oct at CIRAD Guadeloupe

Project ResisT closing meeting

The closing meeting of the Resist project took place from

October 20 to 22 in Martinique. Managed by the Caribbean

network of animal health (CaribVet), this project focused on

the study of resistance of the Creole tick to acaricide in cattle

farms in Martinique. Following the meeting, a presentation on

resistance in each country was held with members of the

network but also with farmers and stakeholders in the animal

health and livestock industries of Martinique. The results of

the study were presented, leading to discussions on new

strategies to implement. Thereafter, the participants worked

on project deliverables and also visited cattle farms and

talked to farmers about the tick problem.

RESIST workshop participants visiting a farm in Martinique

Focus on monitoring animal health

A training session on geographic information systems (GIS)

applied to the monitoring of animal diseases was hosted by the

CaribVet network in collaboration with CIRAD, IICA (Inter-

American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture) and BPA

(Belize Association of Poultry Producers) and took place from 9

to 12 November in Belize. It was aimed at epidemiologists,

veterinarians and staff of the Ministries of Agriculture and

veterinary services in the 13 Caribbean countries. The objective

is to improve animal disease monitoring across the region.

GIS workshop 9 to 12 November 2015 in Belize

Conservation of genetic resources

A regional workshop on genetic resources was held from

November 25 to 27 at CIRAD Guadeloupe. The objective of

this workshop was firstly to educate Caribbean partners to the

challenges of conservation and security of genetic resources of

banana and also train them in best practices of these

resources for better utilization. The workshop was attended by

11 participants including 6 from partner institutes such as

Lianet Gonzales Diaz of INIVIT (Cuba), Robes Pierre Tescar

and Charles Patrice from the Faculty of Agronomy and

Veterinary Medicine of Haiti and Rengifo Juan Domingo Calors

Torres of the IDIAF (Dominican Republic) and Elaine Garwood

of the Banana Board of Jamaica. They were joined by Jean-

Claude Efile, Claude Mina, Kodjo Tomekpe, Patrick Ollitrault

and Nilda Paolo de Reberdière of CIRAD Guadeloupe.

Participants at the Genetic Resources workshop held from November

25 to 27 at CIRAD Guadeloupe

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The Cabaré project newsletter A new Caribbean network for

agriculture and the environment

At the November seminar, six countries established a

monitoring observatory for sustainable Caribbean

agriculture. This observatory will explore sustainability at

different scales, but will focus on the territory. An analysis

and decision support system is on the way (MISTICA,

Monitoring Agricultural Systems Towards Sustainability in

the Caribbean) which will engage in public policies (linking

agriculture and environment) and which will explore

Caribbean markets for agricultural sectors and relations

between agricultural production systems and their

environmental impacts.

An analytical platform for soil

management in Martinique

The "Ecology and soil performance" laboratory has

received funding for its development and larger secure

premises. Its tasks have been expanded to improve (i) the

hosting of partners and foreign soil (application for

authorization and quarantine in progress) and (ii)

analytical capabilities using new equipment for rapid

analysis of soil microbial communities.

On the left, the extraction and analysis room and on the right, gas chromatography for assay

Cabaré trials continue

Banana streak

Experiments to assess the viral risk on different varieties

of plantain based on the multiplication mode of the plant

material, which was set up in 2014 in the Dominican

Republic, Cuba and in Guadeloupe in 2015, continues.

Monitoring the activation of endogenous infectious BSV

viral sequences is done every 3 months using virological

indexing of test plants.

Resistance to black Sigatoka

Monitoring plots in Cuba assess the resistance of two

CIRAD hybrids and two INIVIT hybrids to black Sigatoka

and the effect of fertilization on the severity of the

disease. Similar plots in the Dominican Republic have

since been ended. Catherine Abadie and Yolande Chilin

traveled to Cuba in October 2015 and visited fields in

Artemisa and Santa Clara (INIVIT research station) to

assess the extent of the disease.

Yolande Chilin-Charles (CIRAD Guadeloupe) assessing the severity of

black Sigatoka on hybrids in Cuba

European Cooperation Day

On European Cooperation Day, Thursday, November 5, CIRAD

Neufchâteau held an open day. It focused on Cabaré projects

and the Cabaré Sustainable Banana Caribbean program

funded by the Interreg IV program. Visitors were accompanied

by Pierre-Yves Teycheney (one of the Cabaré project

coordinators) to visit the laboratory where research is

conducted on black Sigatoka and banana viruses. Then they

went out into the field to see one of three experimental plots

which aims to assess the viral risk in banana production, the

other two parcels being in Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Bringing help to Dominica

Tropical storm Erika in August 2015 resulted in Dominica losing

more than 70% of its agricultural production. As part of the

Cabaré WP6 project, CIRAD has set up, with the approval of

the Guadeloupe Regional Council, emergency relief to

contribute to the revival of Dominica's agriculture. A CIRAD

mission took place in November to bring supplies and

laboratory equipment, 90kg of seeds, 18,000 pineapple

plantlets and thirty technical & agricultural papers. This will

result in a list of recommendations for sustainable agriculture,

using the findings from the mission.

Interreg regional Seminar At the invitation of CIRAD, a hundred actors in agricultural

research and development in the 15 countries and territories of

the Caribbean met in Guadeloupe on 17 and 18 November

2015 to work together on the future of scientific cooperation in

the Caribbean. Four workshops were held: Innovations in

dessert banana and cooking bananas; integration of agro-

ecological techniques; monitoring and control of plant and

animal diseases; agriculture and environment. Results of

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The Cabaré project newsletter

research were presented to participants and CIRAD partners

November 19 at the World Trade Center in Jarry.

Participants at the Regional Interreg seminar organized from 17

to 19 November in Guadeloupe

Agriculture faces many challenges: food security, climate

change, environmental conservation and biodiversity,

economic development and employment and health. On

issues such as feeding the population whilst remaining

healthy and reducing its impact on the environment and on

climate change, adapting to new climate conditions,

preserving natural resources and supporting development,

CIRAD Antilles-Guyana is involved in research, innovation

and training, with its scientific and agricultural Caribbean

partners, to build solutions adapted to each territory.

Between 2009-2015, regional cooperation projects, carried

out under the European Commission Interreg IV program,

have helped improve and disseminate knowledge, build

capacity to innovate and transfer innovations in two main

areas: monitoring and control of priority animal diseases

(avian, swine, ruminant diseases transmitted by ticks) and

plant diseases (banana), evaluation and dissemination of

varieties (bananas, yams, tomatoes) resistant to major

diseases and developing ecological farming systems with a

reduced reliance on pesticides.

A major Caribbean-based project for healthy eating.

Based on the results of previous projects, CIRAD has

proposed for 2015-2020 a large integrated project that was

discussed with Caribbean partners on 17 and 18 November

2015. This new project incorporates the banana and

plantain, fruit and vegetable, animal and plant health sectors

as well as an agricultural and environmental observatory.

Focus is on research for the development and dissemination

of sustainable agricultural practices, conservation and use of

biodiversity of species, improved varieties and disease

control. Recommendations on the future of Caribbean

agriculture will also be made, as well as measurements of

the impact of innovation and regional cooperation networks.

Training and capacity building will be conducted. All

countries and Caribbean-Guyana territories will be involved.

Teresa Martinez PhD defense

Reina Teresa Martinez defended her doctoral thesis Monday,

December 14 2015 at CIRAD Guadeloupe (Neufchâteau).

She received the title of Doctor of the University of the West

Indies with very Honorable Mention. This Cabaré funded

thesis focused on banana streak virus (BSV) risk in interspecific

hybrid banana crops carrying infectious endogenous BSV

sequences (eBSV) in the Dominican Republic.

Thesis committee for Reina Teresa Martinez - December 14 - CIRAD

Guadeloupe

Members of the jury:

Mme Marie-Line Iskra-Caruana (CIRAD, UMR BGPI,

Montpellier (Reporter)

Mme Sylvie German-Retana (INRA, UMR BFP,

Villenave d'Ornon, Reporter)

Pr Olivier Gros (Université des Antilles, President)

Mrs Catherine Abadie (CIRAD, UMR BGPI,

Guadeloupe, Examiner)

Mme Marie Umber (INRA, UR ASTRO, Guadeloupe,

Examiner)

M. Pierre-Yves Teycheney (CIRAD, UMR AGAP,

Guadeloupe, Supervisor)

It’s all go at Cabaré!

Pierre-Yves Teycheney attended the 8th meeting of

the regional plant disease surveillance network

(Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum, CPHD) in

Aruba from July 6 to 9, 2015

He presented to all 50 participants the future Integrated Project

for Regional Cooperation (Interreg V), in particular the animal

and plant health component. This will bring together two

Regional Networks: Animal Health (CaribVET) and Vegetable

Health (DWTC). This project was presented to CPHD members

at the final Cabaré meeting in Guadeloupe, June 2015.

CaribVet attends 14th ISVEE Congress in Mexico

The ISVEE conference was held in Merida, Mexico from 3 to 7

November 2015 on the theme "Economic and Veterinary

Epidemiology: Planning Our Future". It brought together all

Caribbean CaribVET partners. CaribVET work was presented.

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The Cabaré project newsletter

CaribVet Network at the 14th ISVEE Congress in Merida, Mexico

from November 3 to 7, 2015

Arrivals and Departures

Guillaume Fort completed his Voluntary Civic Service

contract on September 30, 2015.

Claire Durot has had her contract extended until February

29, 2016.

Clara Landry, Cabaré project PhD student, was recruited for

two months (November-December 2015) on WP6 to finalize a

simulation model of Sigatoka epidemics on the plant scale.

Allain Moncoeur was commissioned in Haiti to prepare and

accompany every mission organized for WP6 in the second

half of 2015. His extensive knowledge has benefitted Haitian

partners (institutions and NGOs) and local industries, to

create useful this future integrated project.

Cabaré is in the news !

After the ResisT workshop:

France O, Martinique news 22/10/15

ATV evening news, 21/10/15

Following the Interreg regional seminar:

France Antilles, 19/11/15

RCI (morning news), 19/11/15

Guadeloupe première TV, 1pm, 19/11/15

ETV, 19/11/15

ATV Guadeloupe, 19/11/15

On Guadeloupe première radio, 19 and 21/11/15

Listen here (in French):

Climat et maladies // Coopération scientifique agricole

Kamannyok - coopération agricole //Observatoire

agriculture-environnement // Banane en Haïti

© J. Champion, Guadeloupe première

Cabaré bows out

Cabare ended on 31/12/2015. It was a great scientific and

technical collaboration in Caribbean banana production.

We hope to continue as part of the Interreg program 5

integrated project as part of a broader project including major

agricultural crops in the Caribbean.

See you soon !!!

© CIRAD Antilles Guyane Direction régionale - Station de Neufchâteau-Sainte-Marie 97130 Capesterre Belle-Eau - Guadeloupe, FWI Tel : (590) 86 30 21 - Fax : (590) 590 86 80 77 Editorial: C. Abadie, C. Durot, P.-Y. Teycheney & S. Della Mussia