SIGNIFICANT achievements were made through the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that its mandate is attained, particularly as it relates to improving services offered to farmers to support further agricultural development , even as the El Nino/La Nina phenomenon ravages the farming community, with the recent months long drought-like conditions and an anticipated period of heavy rainfall in the immediate future.
The non-traditional crops sector recorded increased exports and introduced several new crops to the overseas markets, especially in North America.
Another notable activity in this area was the construction of the $89M packaging and storage facility at Parika to boost the non-traditional crops sector, which has increased exports by promoting more value-added products.
Efforts to encourage advanced agricultural diversification continued with various initiatives, some of which were guided by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Diversification set up following the Agricultural Diversification Summit hosted in December 2006.
Approval of the US$21M Agricultural Diversification Initiative and the US$6M Rural Enterprise Agricultural Development (READ) Project, among other financial input from International Financial Institution (IFIs) and Government is another major success for the Ministry, since the projects being funded will add to ongoing diversification activities.
Services offered by the Ministry come under periodic review, with the Guyana Agricultural Producers Association (GAPA) and the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) being integral to the various processes involved. Various adjustments are continually made to ensure expanded opportunities for agricultural stakeholders and to promote a more business-like approach to support enhanced profitability of their activities.
The extension services programme was revamped with new initiatives that included training of farmers/residents as extension agents, development of a Farmers’ Manual as a form of technical assistance, and establishment of several information technology (IT) centres. Currently farmers are reaping in excess of forty bags per acre in some instances as a result of the NARI-driven Six-Points Plan, as well as improved quality of seed paddy.
A marketing centre was established at the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to assist farmers, exporters, processors and others with pertinent information.
In an effort to ensure the safe use of pesticides and toxic chemicals, amendments to the existing Act were pursued while construction of the laboratory at Mon Repos was completed.
Among the main achievements in the aquaculture sector were completion of the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) that outlined strategies to develop the various sub-sectors and re-activation of the Fisheries Advisory Committee (FAC) that advises on the sector’s continued growth.
Additionally, new initiatives were pursued to tackle piracy, including strong collaboration with the fishermen’s cooperative societies and law enforcement agencies. Boats and engines were purchased by the Ministry to assist with patrols while, through the intervention of President Bharrat Jagdeo, $5M was made available to initiate an Anti-Piracy Revolving Fund.
Despite the prolonged dry season, the rice industry recorded a bumper first crop this year. Added to this, rice prices on the international market seems to be rising, These, in addition to the new markets for Guyana’s cargo rice, especially the Venezuelan deal, seem to indicate that good times lie ahead for Guyana’s farmers.