The backbone of Guyana’s economy is agriculture and undoubtedly farmers make a tremendous contribution in this regard through their dedication and completion of back breaking tasks as well as exposure to risks which are increasing due to the unusual weather patterns that have been triggered by the climate change phenomenon.

According to the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP),agriculture must be given the priority it deserves in resource allocation, in order to meet the food, rural livelihood and environmental needs of a growing world population.

Family farmers are the basic elements for sustainable development of agricultural systems. They should be at the centre of any agricultural and rural development strategy.

Comprehensive farm programs must be implemented in order to achieve productivity, and progress, as well as continued exposure of farmers to new and improved management skills will enable them to become the driving force in the sustainable development of agriculture.

If government places farm families at the centre of agricultural and rural development strategies, Farmers will employ all of their newly acquired skills and energies to feed the people and fulfill other functions required from agriculture.

But very often farmers encounter severe problems and no means of recourse and or do not have a collective body to represent their interests, and this sometimes leads to a piece-meal approach to resolving their problems which more often than not is not an effective measure.

According to the IFAP farmers are key and critical stakeholders in the agricultural and rural economy and, through their organisations, can play a pivotal role in strengthening democratic processes. Any agricultural policy or developmental initiative must therefore involve farmers and their organisations. Governments should recognise the right of farmers to associate and act collectively, and should create, at all levels of government, the necessary framework for strengthening and institutionalising participatory decision-making processes for farmers.

Farmers’ organisations should be capable of mobilising their members, undertaking analysis of agricultural policy issues, and drawing up position papers to input into the development of government strategies, capable of relaying farmers’ interests in all debates and programmes, and capable of strengthening the position of farmers in the market.

Farmers’ organisations also provide an essential network to diffuse information and programmes to grassroots farming communities to mitigate the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, to explain farm programs and to encourage adoption of improved farming techniques.

Strengthening of the institutional capacity of farmers’ organisations needs to be a

cornerstone of any strategy for reaching the rural poor, because unless the poor are

organised they will remain politically powerless and economically disadvantaged.

Farmers everywhere should support their professional and economic organisations by

participating in their activities and by contributing to their financing.

In this context, the re-launching last week of the Guyana Agricultural Association (GAPA) which was a vibrant farmers body championing the interests of farmers through out this country, is indeed a healthy and optimistic development.

GAPA, led by stalwarts such as the late Fazal Ally and former Region 3 Chairman, Pariag Sukhai throughout the 1970s to the late 1990s was a militant organisation in the forefront of the welfare of farmers.

Unfortunately, it became dormant for a long period, and while rice farmers have the RPA to represent the cash crop and other farmers were left with any body to provide collective representation for them. Therefore, GAPA’s resuscitation has come at a crucial time because with the Skeldon Sugar Factory on stream, cane farmers who had formed a significant proportion of the farming community would now return into the fold, hence enlarging that community.

It is hoped that the experience and knowledge of stalwarts like Mr. Sukhai and others who may be around will be fully utilised to make GAPA the vibrant and effective organisation it was and in doing so help to push our agricultural sector forward.