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The world’s premier institute for dryland agriculture and a globally acclaimed research center, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), has brought its frontier science to Jamaica through a landmark partnership with the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) and SEPROD, the region’s largest food and FMCG distributor.
Backed by ICRISAT’s global expertise, the project will fast-track the development of superior forage and dual-purpose sorghum varieties in Jamaica, to address fodder shortages, enhance livestock yields, and improve climate resilience to strengthen food and feed security and help cut CARICOM’s US$6 billion food import bill by 25% by 2030.
Applauding the collaboration, Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, said that with CPSO’s visionary leadership in convening this partnership and SEPROD’s drive to champion its success, ICRISAT is proud to bring advanced agricultural innovation to CARICOM, complementing local expertise.
Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRIAT
“ICRISAT is part of the CGIAR system and committed to sharing frontier science that delivers strong economic and social returns, and we look forward to making a lasting impact across the region through this initiative,” said Dr Pathak.
ICRISAT’s visit to SEPROD production sites uncovered urgent challenges alongside major opportunities for transformation.
Jamaica currently faces a 20–30% forage shortage, contributing to low milk yields below the break-even threshold of 12 liters per cow per day.
This shortage highlights the challenges in the agricultural sector, particularly in relation to providing adequate fodder for livestock.
Forage sorghum, alongside silage technologies, emerged as a powerful solution to improve animal health, boost milk production, and reduce costly imports of feed.
[L-R] Dr Richard Pandohie, CEO of SEPROD; Dr Ephrem Habyarimana, Principal Scientist - ? Sorghum Breeding at ICRISAT; Dr Kumaracharyulu Deevi, Senior Scientist - ? Agricultural Economics at ICRISAT and ? Dr Darrick Deslandes, President, College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), Jamaica
Lead ICRISAT Project and Principal Investigator, Dr Ephrem Habyarimana, said that with the right varieties and crop management, sorghum can strengthen food and feed systems and, by extension, improve diets, animal husbandry, and well-being across the Caribbean, offering transformative benefits for the region.
“Once the necessary clearances are in place, ICRISAT will introduce world-leading sorghum lines and hybrids developed and tested in Asia, while also strengthening the capacity of SEPROD’s technical staff and national stakeholders in advanced areas such as climate-smart agronomy, precision input management, and forage conservation technologies,” said Dr Ephrem.
ICRISAT will evaluate at least 10 elite multi-cut forage sorghum lines over two seasons, with the goal of fast-tracking 1–2 adaptable varieties for commercial scaling.
Initial testing will cover 1 hectare each at SEPROD’s Belvedere and Golden Grove farms, with the possible expansion to True Juice and Serge farms, creating four pilot sites to strengthen the robustness of statistical inference.
Superior sorghum varieties can help strengthen livestock feed and dairy output
Parallel scaling will commence on 50 acres of SEPROD land, ensuring a rapid transition from research to commercial deployment.
Commenting on the evaluations, SEPROD’s CEO, Dr Richard Pandohie, said that for SEPROD, the project is not just about trials in the field but about reshaping how the company delivers value to consumers across the region.
“This partnership positions us to adopt more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices, enabling SEPROD to better serve the region and create value for the stakeholders and shareholders.
“By investing in innovation today, we are building the foundation for a stronger food system that meets the needs of tomorrow’s Caribbean,” said Dr Richard Pandohie.
Speaking on the regional importance of the initiative, CPSO CEO and Technical Director Dr. Patrick Antoine said that the partnership exemplifies the pivotal role of scientific innovation in creating successful businesses ready to realize the agri-food opportunities in the Caribbean – the major thrust of CARICOM’s 25% by 2030 aspirations.
Dr Patrick Antoine, CARICOM Private Sector Organisation CEO and Technical Director
“This partnership marks a defining step for CARICOM, highlighting how world-leading science and innovation, coupled with private sector enterprise, can work together ? to strengthen food security and boost regional self-sufficiency,” said Dr Antoine.
ICRISAT's sorghum innovation will help drive improved livestock health and dairy productivity
