Guyana continued to garner support from international agencies in 2008, among which was the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA). This agency which provided assistance in the implementation of the Agriculture Diversification Programme (ADP), and the Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development (READ), supported the Government’s ‘Grow More Food’ campaign. IICA’s endorsement was noted Friday at its IICA’s annual accountability seminar, held at the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston.

The objective of the seminar, to which a wide cross-section of stakeholders from the agricultural and related sub-sectors has been invited, was to update and receive feedback from participants on IICA’s activities in the country during 2008.

IICA noted that in light of the global food situation, the market-led Grow More Food campaign was launched and it was supported by the agency. The campaign was launched because of the rising food prices and the shortage of food on the global market. 

The campaign involved an integrated five-step plan which includes the implementation of the Agricultural Diversification Programme (ADP), the Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development (READ) Programme, increased investment in drainage and irrigation (focused on restoring drainage to areas abandoned by farmers), and training of farmers in managing rehabilitated structures, enhancement of extension services and increasing the availability of seed and planting materials.

IICA’s Representative, Ignatius Jean, during his presentation at the seminar, said that the ADP and READ cost some US$20.9M and US$6.7M respectively. He added that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) had made the largest input in Guyana within the whole of the Caribbean, and this totalled approximately US$40M.   

IICA is a specialised agency for agriculture and was founded as an institution for agriculture research and graduate training in tropical agriculture. In response to changing needs in the Americas, the institute evolved into an agency for technical cooperation in the field of agriculture.  (GINA)