Press Release: MOU signed between Health 2000 Canada and WUSC Caribbean

Director – WUSC Caribbean, Doug Graham and Managing Director of H2K, Jai Sukul sign MOU

TORONTO, August 12, 2016 – WUSC Caribbean (https://wusc.ca/en/propel) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with H2K to collaborate through the Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages (PROPEL) project. PROPEL is a sustainable economic growth project which aims to increase the value of Caribbean fresh produce accessing high-value markets (HVMs) in the Caribbean and internationally by CAD $100 million over six years. Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by WUSC Caribbean, the project is working with producers, private sector buyers, other value chain actors and business service providers to facilitate the safe, effective and efficient movement of fresh produce from producers to high value market buyers.

WUSC Caribbean and H2K plan to develop their partnership with special attention to improving environmental restoration and climate change initiatives.
The specific areas of cooperation between WUSC Caribbean and H2K may include:
a) Promote sustainable soil management and soil regeneration as a means of environmental preservation and improvement;
b) Promote the enhancement of gene and cell diversity within specific plant species.
c) Promote the enhancement of plant diversity within farms.
d) Enhance the presence of local fauna and predator prey relationships that are beneficial for restoring balance in the agro ecosystem.
e) Promote the uptake of integrated plant health technology which produces safer foods for consumption.
f) Promote the uptake of integrated plant health technology which reduces the use of toxic inputs in the short term and modify their use in the long term.
g) Promote carbon sequestration by restoring the ability of soils to function as a natural reservoir of carbon.
h) Collaborate on the launching of a web – based application (an app) that promotes these initiatives.

H2K is a Canadian private sector firm that has been operational in the region for some time, their Agro Division (https://www.health2000canada.com) is already working in Guyana responding to the Ministry of Agriculture call for more bio-inputs into agriculture. Earlier this year, H2K introduced a cutting edge solution “Aquachil”, which enabled drought stricken Guyanese rice farmers to utilise saline water for their crops as well as enhancing nutrition to the soil. H2K continues to focus on agricultural input products that enhance and protect the environment.

Recently H2K partnered with PROPEL at the Denbigh Agricultural Show in Jamaica to demonstrate new climate smart technologies of great interest to the visiting and farming communities. H2K agricultural products have already been endorsed by the Government of Jamaica. Plans are also underway to develop demo plots using these environmentally sustainable inputs in trials to demonstrate their effects and long term cost effectiveness.

As part of the PROPEL drive to create sustainable linkages, the project has an environmental management plan to address major environmental concerns such as waste management, deforestation, soil degradation, land and water use and management, control/elimination of pests and diseases, the appropriate use of agrochemicals and mitigation of natural disasters including drought, flooding and erosion of soils from heavy rains, storms and hurricanes. To achieve these ends, the project provides training and capacity development for stakeholders; provides professional linkages and technical collaboration and facilitates knowledge sharing and transfer of good practice. The technology transfer provided by the cooperation between H2K and PROPEL will help to create improved and more sustainable produce through the PROPEL initiatives.

For more information contact: Keithan Laurie
Tel: 246-256-2216 | E-Mail: [email protected]