APPUI TECHNIQUE ET SENSIBILISATION DES PRODUCTEURS D'IGNAME DE GUADELOUPE A DES PRATIQUES MOINS INTENSIVES :UN DES AXES DE TRAVAIL DE L'UPROFIG.

UPROFIG, union of farmers of yam network in Guadeloupe, was created in 2001 in the purpose to develop yam culture and thus to help agriculture of Guadeloupe to leave the logic of monocultures and to promote other diversified systems, producing first for the domestic market. The first stage consisted in setting up a device of production of sound planting material, in the aim at giving to farmers the choice of a lot of varieties adjusted to various soils and climates. Indeed, sanitary quality of tubers using as seedlings, with that of soil, are essential for a sound production. Today, our action is widening to capitalization of techniques which are alternatives to intensives ones and to artificialization of environment (use of pesticides, weedkillers, agricultural water and manure). This is why, beyond the general technical councils carried out, UPROFIG works on some practices, like mulch of field in the driest places, use of organic matter... Feasibility studies (financial, technical, etc.) with the producers, installation of on-farm experiments, capitalization 416 of existing knowledge and their application in farmer's field are as much of action carried out by UPROFIG, in partnership with research and other organizations for agricultural development, so that the production of yams in Guadeloupe can satisfy consumers and farmers