Vincentian Soil Expert attends International Soil Science Congress

Renrick Williams, an expert on soil analysis and an instructor of Plant Protection and Quarantine in the Ministry of Agriculture, attended the 21st World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) in Brazil, which is held every four years by International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS).

As the only representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the Congress, which was held from August 12 to 17, Williams made a presentation titled “Soil Fertility Survey in St Vincent and the Grenadines” during the Congress.

It was the first time that SVG had sent a soil expert to let the world know about Vincentian soil.

WCSS is one of the most important meetings focusing on soil in the world with a history that dates back to 1920s. It aims to gather all soil experts to answer questions like: ‘How to feed a hungry planet?’; ‘How to fuel an energy-hungry planet?’; ‘How to reach a balance between protection of biodiversity and sustainable land management for agriculture production?’ These questions are subjects related to the multiple functions of soil.

This year, more than 3,000 members from the world attended the WCSS. Williams not only introduced the volcanic soil properties in SVG, but also demonstrated how soil analysis research has been proceeding in SVG. He shared his expertise with many soil experts and researchers and received a warm response.

Chun-Chun Huang, a specialist of the Taiwan Technical Mission, said that the Mission, with the full support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, coordinated this preliminary soil fertility study under the “Project of Strengthening Farmers’ Organizations and Improving Fruit and Vegetable Production Technology in St. Vincent and the Grenadines” which has been implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission since 2015.

Huang added that soil analysis, with the establishment of the Soil Laboratory located at the Plant Protection and Quarantine in Campden Park, is a core component among the mutual cooperation between Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. With Williams’ presentations at WCSS, the accomplishment of SVG-Taiwan collaboration on soil analysis could be demonstrated before the world.