By, Marthious Clavier
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) School of Agriculture, in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, hosted the 58th Annual Caribbean Food Crops Society (CFCS) Conference from July 12 to 17, 2026, and the 1st Virgin Islands Agricultural Caribbean Conference from July 15 to 16 at the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, welcoming more than 185 participants from across the Caribbean and beyond.
Under the theme, “Increasing Food Security in the Caribbean through Innovative Agriculture,” the conference featured scientific presentations, poster sessions, and farm tours that promoted knowledge exchange, regional collaboration, and innovative agricultural practices. The 1st Virgin Islands Agricultural Caribbean Conference brought together more than 50 local farmers for interactive sessions on farm management, funding opportunities, and sustainable agriculture. Farmers also had the opportunity to attend the CFCS scientific presentations and poster sessions.
Together, these conferences strengthened partnerships and reinforced the U.S. Virgin Islands’ commitment to advancing food security and agricultural innovation throughout the Caribbean.
The CFCS is an independent, nonprofit professional organization dedicated to fostering communication and collaboration among individuals and institutions advancing agricultural science, technology, and food crop and livestock production throughout the Caribbean Basin. St. Croix hosted the Society’s inaugural annual meeting in 1963 and has since hosted the conference approximately every decade, reinforcing the Territory’s important role in advancing Caribbean agriculture.
These conferences were made possible through a partnership among the UVI School of Agriculture, the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, and the Caribbean Division of the American Phytopathological Society.
