The Ministry of Agriculture, in keeping with its thrust to empower farmers, has recently launched a publication geared towards educating them to combat climate change.

Minister Persaud speaks at the launching.

The 26 page booklet, titled “Farmers Preparing for Climate Change in Guyana–A guide”, was prepared by the Guyana National Climate Change Unit with support from Conservation International (Guyana) and the Guyana National Climate Committee.

Speaking at the launch convened at his ministry, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said the easy-to-read and illustrated handbook is the latest development in the ongoing drive to better prepare farmers to cope with the effects of climate change.

The publication compiled against the backdrop of the exposure of local farmers to climate change, coincides with the observance of Agriculture Month 2009.

Minister Persaud lauded the efforts of Conservation International in supporting Guyana’s fight against climate change, and in this case, their work in preparation of the guide that helps farmers to make the necessary changes to be better prepared to overcome the phenomenon.

Based on the 2005 floods and subsequent events, Persaud said it is evident that farmers lack basic knowledge of what to do in these circumstances.

“We recognise that we need to do much more training, much more awareness, but certainly in programmes and activities by our extension staff and other technical officers, we need to make climate preparedness and awareness a central part of these programmes.

“I do hope and I do anticipate that this guide will assist our farmers and it will be put to use,” the minister said.

He underlined that while Guyana has made several important steps to tackle climate change at the international level, notably thought the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), these must also be taken at the national level to better prepare Guyanese.

Persaud appealed too to the donor agencies, the business community and others to support farmers and the Guyanese populace in addressing climate change related issues.

Conservation International (Guyana) Director, Dr. David Singh, pointed out that the guide is one of several ways in which his organisation is supporting Guyana’s climate change cause.

Conservation International has supported the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) in the establishment of a Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Secretariat.

The organisation has also been working with Guyana in providing technical advice on the issue and recently commissioned a study on the application of REDD to Guyana with particular reference to the Georgetown/Lethem Road.

According to Singh, in another few weeks, he will be meeting with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to discuss the inclusion of avoided deforestation in infrastructural development in South America.

Touching on the LCDS, he said Guyana is at a stage where it has to make the push at the global climate change conference at Copenhagen to get a deal that works for it.

“This in not an easy task. The Government of Guyana, through its representation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting, and at various other fora, has been making incredible steps in making its case.

“But it needs every single one of us, and I would encourage each of you in your own way to come behind this process because if we don’t reach a deal that works for us at Copenhagen, 50 years from now what we would leave for our children would be not what we would want them to have,” Singh said.

Also present at the launching were farmers, Guyana National Climate Change Unit Coordinator Ms. Gitanjali Chanderpal, National Agriculture Research Institute Director Dr Oudho Homenauth, Guyana Forestry Commission, Commissioner Mr. James Singh and other officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Conservation International.