THE Ministry of Agriculture wishes to address the issue of the disease presently affecting plantain and banana farmers in some communities, particularly in the Regions 1, 2 and 3. As you are aware this issue has been in the news for sometime through feature articles and letters to the Editors. It is our Ministry’s hope that this letter will put to rest this matter.

Firstly, I wish outline the structure of the Ministry and its related Agencies that are tasked to manage the other crops production sub-sector. The Crops and Livestock Department within the Ministry of Agriculture comprises, among other Divisions, Crop Extension Services and the Plant Health Services.

The Crop Extension Services Division has Extension Officers stationed in all the Regions of Guyana. These Officers are responsible for providing technical support to farmers, which includes choice of crops, crop rotation, land preparation techniques, soil and water management, and pest and disease management. As a result, these Officers are required to visit farms and farmers, conduct training sessions either through specially organised seminars or on-farms, and monitor the general state of crop production within their designated areas. As a result, each Officer will have a sound knowledge of the crops in his/her areas and their associated problems. Issues which these Officers cannot resolve are referred to the Senior Officers within the Division, or in the cases of pest and disease, the Plant Health Services Division or the National Agricultural Research Institute.

The Plant Health Services Division has responsibility for conducting surveys for pest and disease of quarantine importance (exotic), farm certification and verification of commodities for export, quarantine inspection services conducted at the ports of entry, container terminals, pack houses, sawmills and privates premises and the issuance of phytosanitary certificates.

The National Agricultural Research Institute is responsible for conducting research on crops including developing management packages for pest and diseases, particularly new diseases, and those of economic importance. Usually, the issues investigated are either referred to the Institute by the Extension Officers or directly by farmers.

As such, the Divisions within the Crops and Livestock Department have a strong working relationship with the National Agricultural Research Institute. This is necessary because an interdisciplinary approach is advisable in managing issues in crop production, including the management of pest and diseases.

Against this the background of the roles of the above mentioned Agencies, I wish to address the concerns raised by Mr. Mervyn Williams in his letter published on January 19, 2010.

Most crops have pests and diseases which can cause serious economic loss either through significant reduction in yields or damage to the product. These pests and diseases can either be already present in the country, in which case control measures must be developed and utilised, or in other countries, in which case strong quarantine measures have to be maintained at the ports of entry.

A few years ago, Extension Officers and farmers in Region 1 reported that they were experiencing significant reduction in the plantain and banana production due to a disease problem. A team comprising Officials from the Plant Health Services Division and the National Agricultural Research Institute was dispatched to the Region to investigate the issue. The team concluded that it was a fungal disease and recommended the use of a number of fungicides that were available on the market at the time. The farmers were also advised to rotate their crops and avoid returning to disease infected fields under two years. A series of training sessions were conducted with the farmers, particularly in the Mabaruma/Hosororo areas. This approach worked at the time, primarily for two reasons; firstly, chemicals were new to this particular fungal disease and it had not developed any resistance to the drugs; and secondly, because the use of crop rotation fitted into the custom of farmers in the Region, that is, shifting cultivation. It is important to note at that time the disease was not reported in any other area of Guyana.

By 2008, however, farmers in the Region 3 began complaining of similar problems with their plantain and banana cultivation. Officials from the Ministry and the National Agricultural Research Institute visited the farms and recommendations outlined above were given. The control of the disease in Region 3 was limited because, firstly, plantain and banana cultivation was more intensive and the disease developed resistance to the drugs, and secondly, because farmers tend to be monocultural and were not prepared to rotate with other crops in their fields. As a result, over time, the disease presence increased and the reduction in yields became progressively worse. Farmers were visited in areas including Essequibo Islands, Essequibo River, including Bonasika, and East Bank Essequibo. There was even one case on the Island of Wakenaam where a farmer verbally abused the visiting Officers claiming that the problem was caused by an insect and he was treating it with insecticides. Farmers visited during this period include Tom Singh, Looknauth, Benjamin and Lesley, Grimes among others.

By mid 2009, the National Agricultural Research Institute had arrived to the conclusion that the disease may be a Sigatoka and recommendations were made for the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to be approached for assistance in identifying the disease. It should be noted that in agriculture, as in medicine, a pest or disease has to be confirmed by an internationally accredited laboratory even in cases where the human and other resources are available locally.

However, before the Food and Agricultural Organisation could address the request, the Inter-American Institute on Agriculture invited a plant pathologist from Suriname. His conclusion was similar to those of the specialist at NARI and he also recommended that a confirmative diagnosis be done.

Shortly after his visit, the FAO sent a highly accredited plant pathologist from India to investigate the disease problem. She also arrived at the conclusion that the disease was Black Sigatoka and made arrangements for samples to be sent to CABI Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Those samples were subsequently dispatched to CABI and we received preliminary conformation that the disease is Black Sigatoka. CABI is still to submit its final conclusion.

It should be noted that disease identification is a highly technical procedure that can take from a few days to months in many cases. As in this case, even an internationally accredited instit
ution such as CABI has not definitively identified the disease to date.

However, the Ministry has acted while it awaited the results and firstly established a Task Force to monitor the disease and make recommendations to manage the disease. This Task Force was headed by Dr Raghunauth Chandranauth who is a qualified Virologist. Among the recommendations of the Task Force was the establishment of the Musa Disease Management Unit which has since been done. This Unit is headed by Mr. Rajendra Persaud who holds a Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology.

The Unit has already commenced a survey to determine the actual areas affected and the disease severity in each area. The Ministry’s previous knowledge of the plantain and banana producing areas in each Region means that it is not necessary to visit each and every village or area in Guyana. As such, when we claim that the survey is 75 percent complete, it is a statement of fact.

On the selection of demonstration sites, it is not possible to place one in every area. Generally, consideration is given to more seriously affected areas and accessibility to the sites by other farmers. However, over time, more demonstration sites will be established to include other areas which are deserving.

It is also necessary for me to clarify the following points always raised in the letter to which I referred: –

1. Dr Raghunauth Chandranauth is in the employ of NARI and is the Head of the Plant Protection Department. That is to say he is the head scientist responsible for research into all pest and diseases including, Black Sigatoka.

2. The Ministry of Agriculture, as a policy, allows its staff to lecture part-time at institutions such as the Guyana School of Agriculture and the Faculty of Agriculture, once this does not interrupt their core responsibilities. This policy ensures that the agriculturists in training are exposed to professionals who operate in the practical environment. In this regard, Dr Raghunauth Chandranauth, was given the part-time responsibility to refine the academic programme at the Guyana School of Agriculture as the Academic Director. That assignment has since been completed.

3. A programme of diversification cannot be seen as ‘running’ from a disease problem. It is internationally accepted that farmers need to vary their crops to remain competitive. This not only helps to reduce disease pressures in fields, but also ensures income stability when the prices offered for a particular crop fall dramatically.

The Ministry remains committed to providing a timely service to the farming community. I however wish to make it clear that there will be occasions when the actions we take will not bring immediate results. However, we will continue to strive to ensure that whenever such cases occur, it has nothing to do with the competence of our staff or neglect.
JOSEPH MCALLISTER
Technical Manager
Plant Health Services