A group of five farmers and associates from Antigua and Barbuda has extended gratitude to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Anhui University of Agriculture, and the People’s Republic of China following what they described as a “meaningful” agricultural seminar in China.
The delegation, led by former senator Bakesha Francis-James, attended the Seminar on Demonstration and Promotion of New Vegetable Varieties and Cultivation Technologies from 22 August to 4 September 2025. Participants included Nijah St. Rose, Rexford “Rexy” Rhodes, Sylveneta Charles, and Denisha Jeremy.
The training provided exposure to cutting-edge farming practices, with lectures covering team building, the diagnosis and management of vegetable diseases, aquatic vegetable cultivation techniques, and the use of molecular markers in breeding. A central theme was China’s emphasis on people-centred agricultural development.
Participants visited leading agricultural institutions, including WINALL Hi-Tech Seed Company Ltd. in Hefei, the world’s second-largest seed enterprise with operations in more than 150 countries. They also toured the Liu Yipen Organic Vegetable Planting Base in Dayang Town and the Chinese Medicine Clinic at Anhui University of Chinese Medicine.
Delegates from several countries, among them Barbados, Egypt, El Salvador, Gambia, Lesotho, Palestine, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, also took part in the programme.
The Antigua team said the seminar deepened their understanding of global agricultural innovation and broadened their perspectives on food security.
Beyond the classroom and field visits, the group was taken to historic sites including the Great Wall, the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium, and the Temple of Heaven, experiences they described as enriching to both cultural and professional learning.
Francis-James said the trip strengthened the team’s resolve to support agricultural development and food security in Antigua and Barbuda. “The organizing teams in Antigua and China ensured our trip was both memorable and productive,” she said.
Standing alongside the Antiguan participants was Associate Professor Li Jia, President of the Anhui Institute of International Business, who served as one of the seminar’s key organisers.
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