A Masterclass in Soil Health Extension Training Practical Approaches, Tools and Resources for building Capacity in Soil Health for Resilient Agriculture
September 30 @ 15:00 – 16:15
From Knowledge to Hands-On Action: CCRAF to Host Soil Health Masterclass at CWA 2026
What if farmers and extension professionals could assess important aspects of soil and water health using simple, affordable and locally accessible tools?
At Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2026, the Caribbean Climate Responsive Agriculture Forum (CCRAF) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) will take CCRAF’s knowledge-to-action mission from discussion to hands-on practice through a special interactive session:
A Masterclass in Soil Health Extension Training: Practical Approaches, Tools and Resources for Building Capacity in Soil Health for Resilient Agriculture
The in-person session will take place on 📅 Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 🕑 2:00–3:15 PM Jamaica Time | 📍 Ocean Coral Spring Resort, Trelawny, Jamaica | 🤝 In person
Healthy soils and effective water management are fundamental to productive, resilient agricultural systems. Yet farmers and extension professionals across the Caribbean do not always have ready access to affordable and practical tools for assessing soil health and water conditions at the farm level.
Learning by doing
This Masterclass has therefore been designed as a practical and participatory learning experience. Rather than simply hearing about soil health, participants will have an opportunity to see, handle and apply practical soil and water assessment approaches. Importantly, the approaches emphasize affordable, locally available and easy-to-use tools and materials, helping make soil health assessment more accessible to farmers, extension officers and agricultural communities.
Launching tools to take the learning further
The Masterclass will also serve as the official launch of the IICA Soil Health Training and Diagnostic Kit, developed to support farmers and extension officers in conducting practical field-based soil health and water management assessments using accessible and affordable tools. The session will also launch the following resources; Soil Health Training & Diagnostic Toolkit Manual and Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Handbook for Trainers. These resources and initiatives are intended to ensure that the learning does not end when the CWA session ends. The Soil Health Kit and supporting knowledge products are designed to be used and replicated beyond the workshop at community and national levels.
Translating knowledge into action
The Masterclass reflects a central principle of CCRAF’s work: knowledge creates greater value when people can apply it.
Attending CWA 2026? Come ready to participate. Get your hands in the soil, test practical approaches, exchange experiences and leave with ideas and resources you can take back to your farm, institution or community.