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Commelina species, notably C. communis L, C. diffusa Burm, C. elegans Kunth. and C. benghalensis L. as well as their biotypes, are perennial herbs of Neotropical origin which now have a pantropical distribution. Members of this family (Commelindeae: Commelinaceae) are common throughout the Caribbean, North and Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and parts of Oceania [18, 27, 28, 63, 64]. There are 500-600 species reported in the family Commelinaceae [50]. Recent data indicates that the Commelinaceae family contains 23 genera and at least 225 species native to or naturalized in the New World and 23 genera and about 200 species in the Neotropics [41] and also website reports of 50 genera and 700 species [16, 31]. There are 170 species of Commelina in the warmer regions of the world and 50 species of Murdannia occurring in the tropics and warm temperate regions worldwide with Tropical Asia having the greatest diversity [17]. Wilson [84] presented a comprehensive review on Commelina species and its management with emphasis on chemical weed control in 1981. Since Wilson's review much has been written about the weedy members of this family, notably Commelina species [84]. Indeed, the CAB ABSTRACTS Database contains well over 1200 references on Commelinaceae from 1981 to the present. Commelina benghalensis in particular has been the most reported species with several reports of research conducted on its control in southern states of the United States of America

In this study, farmers were engaged in a participatory research project and their attitudes evaluated. The purpose was to identify the characteristics of farmers who are favourably predisposed towards meaningful participation in the process. Several cover crops were tested for possible use in the management of watergrass (Commelina diffusa), a noxious weed in banana cultivation. Small, limited-resource farmers were exposed to the essentials of systematic research through a process of experiential learning using participatory techniques. Thirty-six farmers evaluated three cover crops against the current weed control practice of farmers, which served as the control. Farmers and researchers collaborated on the experimental design, treatment allocation, data to be collected and the form of the analysis. Summary data were subjected by the farmers to the Overlap Test to evaluate differences among the treatments. Results indicated that one cover crop, Desmodium heterocarpon, was better than the others in controlling watergrass. These results were confirmed by ANOVA.A Likert-type scale, used to assess farmers' attitude, showed that overall, farmers were generally favourable towards the process. Differences in responses to attitudinal statements were based mainly on farmers' differing education levels. Some level of attrition was experienced in this process, mainly by the older and more experienced farmers. The younger, less experienced farmers completed the trials to a large extent. The results provide useful information for the selection of farmers to be involved in future participatory technology development initiatives.

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The COVID-19 pandemic impacts have arguable been more pronounced in the developing world, such as the Small Island States (SIDS) of the Caribbean, where a plethora of geophysical and socio-political factors have led to increased vulnerability, particularly in fragile sectors such as agriculture. The pandemic added another layer of complexity to the unstable agri-food systems of SIDS in the Caribbean. Measures to contain the unfolding crisis have tremendously disrupted food systems by threatening the production, distribution, and marketing of commodities which exposed the frailty of the region's food security. Caribbean SIDS are highly dependent on food imports and relies on international markets to secure food. Many are also dependent on agricultural exports and have a large portion of their population involved in agriculture making them particularly vulnerable to the rigors of the pandemic. Export restrictions on foodstuff and prohibitions due to lockdowns and border closures further exacerbated these challenges. Additionally, food and nutrition security in the region is also subjected to the effects of climate change and climate-related disasters. Dealing with the impacts of co-occurring disasters is, therefore, an ever-present threat. This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the agri-food supply in the Caribbean. It also identified measures and initiatives adopted to cope with these disruptive consequences. The study involves the use of internet-based surveys and focus group discussions and internet-based surveys with stakeholders and online searches for related literature. A total of 96 farmers, 60 food distributors, 84 food service operators, and 237 consumers from the region participated in the online survey and 4 focus group discussions between January and November 2021. The results confirmed that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were evident along the entire agri-food supply chain and numerous challenges and shocks were identified across all participating groups and countries. Some challenges and shocks such as loss of income and related challenges including lower sales and loss of markets affected all groups in the study but to varying degrees and based on socio-demographic factors. In general people of lower income status and smaller businesses were more susceptible to the negative impacts of the pandemic.

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