Mr. Martin Townsend
Deputy Food Storage Officer (Acting)

Mr. Townsend joined the Rodent Biology and Control Unit of the FSPID in 1990 and was subsequently promoted to the senior post in the unit in 1994. Mr. Townsend has acted in the posts of Deputy Food Storage Officer and Chief Food Storage Officer of the FSPID on several occasions. In addition to assisting the Chief Food Storage Officer, the Deputy Food Storage Officer has direct responsibility for the FSPID’s Laboratory Services.

 Education/Professional Training

• Masters in Public Health (UWI) (qualifying)
• Certificate in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 2000)
• Certificate in Rodent Control (Ministry of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs & Ministry for Overseas Development, United Kingdom, 1993)
• Certificate in Storage of Durable Agricultural Products in the Tropics (Natural Resource Institute, UK, 1993)
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Prairie View A and M University of Texas, USA, 1989)
• Certificate in Air and Seaport Quarantine (World Health Organization, USA)(1980)
• Animal Health Assistant Training (Ministry of Agriculture, Veterinary Division, 1977)
• Diploma in Agriculture (Jamaica School of Agriculture, 1976)

Outstanding Achievements

• Long service award - Jamaica Civil Service, 2002
• Publications
• Status Report and Recommendations to Decrease the Incidence of Stored Product Pests in Rice Imported from Guyana (2000)
• The Agriculturalist, Vol. 11, No. 2, April – June 2000: Facts You Should Know About Rodents
• Rats and Mice: Training Manual for Secondary School Feeding Programmes for Managers in Jamaica (2003)

Hobbies/Involvement in Civic & Public Affairs

• Reading, jogging, swimming, football, gardening, pig rearing
• Mentor for Youth Opportunity Unlimited (1993)
• Member of the Methyl Bromide Working Group, Ozone Committee
• Member of the Jamaica Society for Agricultural Scientists