-NARI Director
Director of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth, has said that Government recently disbursed mechanical graters and presses to several hinterland communities in Regions One and Nine in its efforts to boost hinterland agriculture.
Dr. Homenauth said that several new cassava varieties are currently being evaluated in Region Nine to examine other uses of tuber apart from the conventional ones. He added that this initiative is to add value to the product.
Additionally, Guyana has joined CLAYUCA, a Latin American and Caribbean Consortium for cassava based in Cali, Colombia, and according to the NARI Director, technical assistance, improved varieties and appropriate technology will be acquired shortly from the organisation.
In April 2009, NARI began using cassava as a source of feed for poultry after an experimental product was sent to the United States for testing to determine its nutritional value. This was followed by a workshop was aimed at implementing a strategy to launch a cassava enterprise and industry development.
The cassava is sliced into thin pieces along with the skin, since it will be part of the feed, then sun dried, allowing it to break easily. When the slices are completely dried, they are then ground into flour.  The feed can also be used as a substitute for corn and rice.
The initiative is intended to diversify commodities aimed at improving income and reducing income vulnerability, benefiting small farmers especially in the commodity chain.
NARI is also working with Bounty Farm, its private sector partner in this venture. The initiative is based on an agriculture commodities programme that was launched in Jamaica and is part of a joint initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).  (GINA)