– Dr. Chesney
EXECUTIVE Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Dr Arlington Chesney, paid a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday at the Office of the President where he briefed the Guyanese leader on a fertiliser project being conducted by his organisation that could save Guyana a substantial amount of money annually while also increasing crop yields.

President Bharrat Jagdeo and Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Dr Arlington Chesney, discuss the project on urea fertiliser that could save Guyana US$2-3M annually. (GINA photo)

Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA) after the meeting, Dr Chesney explained, “We’ve been doing some trials on different types of urea (a nitrogenous fertiliser) that could reduce the amount of urea used and give higher yields for rice. The results are not final as yet. We have to do another season but they look good, and they could save the country overall about US$2-3M in fertiliser prices a year.”

He explained that the use of the fertiliser could be reduced by as much as 20% while increasing yields by 40% by altering the structure of the urea and depositing it about 2.5 centimetres below the surface of the soil rather than on top of it.

Dr Chesney also indicated that he discussed with the President a joint programme between Guyana and CARDI and he advised that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) should be inked between the regional research body and the local equivalent – the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI).

He also outlined what the work programme of the collaboration between the two research institutions would include.

“The work programme includes biotechnology, which is tissue culture, introduction of new varieties of commodities that are of interest to Guyana so we could bring the yields up with time, and post-harvest technology among others,” CARDI’s Executive Director said.

Also discussed at the meeting were Guyana’s reactivation of its membership with CARDI and Dr Chesney was able to secure the President’s support for his organisation’s application to the Petroleum Fund of Trinidad and Tobago to secure money for its continuing research activities.