Working together to save Jamaican ginger

For many, Jamaican ginger beer, ginger tea or ginger biscuits are a household staple. This Caribbean island has long had a global reputation for its excellent ginger, known for its potency and pungency – but the industry is being threatened. Ginger Rhizome Rot (GRR) disease has for years devastated production across the island and even caused many farmers to stop ginger production altogether. The disease has been so prominent that, between 2015 and 2018, Jamaica’s ginger production dropped by almost half. However, a band of public and private sector food heroes called the Ginger Working Group have been working together to revitalise the industry and return Jamaican ginger to prominence on the global market. Bringing back Jamaican ginger With FAO’s help, the Ginger Working Group put together a long-term strategy to resuscitate the industry. To date, the group’s biggest success has been the introduction of a commercial certification programme, which helps ensure the quantity, ...