The unusual weather pattern brought about by the effects of global warming is increasingly posing a greater challenge for those involved in farming in many countries and as such innovative ways have to be found to overcome the difficulties that face the agricultural communities.
One of those innovations is the use of hydroponics. While it is not a new method of agriculture it had not been widely used but today because of climate change it is increasingly being employed.
The largest commercial hydroponics facility in the world is Eurofresh Farms in Willcox, Arizona, which sold 56 million kilograms of tomatoes in 2005.[16] Eurofresh has 129 hectares under glass and represents about a third of the commercial hydroponic greenhouse area in the U.S.[17] Eurofresh does not consider its tomatoes organic, but they are pesticide-free. They are grown in rockwool using the run to waste technique. (Wikipedia)
Hydroponics is now an established branch of agronomy and it has several advantages.
Hydroponics came to Latin America during the 1970s. At the outset, it was used to market vegetables considered luxury items. But anything that offers an option in terms of eating cannot long be removed from those who are hungry. By the mid 1980s, hydroponic farming began to be a popular alternative among the very poorest. It made it to the miserable hillside slums surrounding most large Latin American cities, where many peasants are thrown together in overcrowded conditions the same peasants thrown off their land by the Green Revolution and other social political counterrevolutions.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) promoted hydroponic farming both to satisfy the basic food needs of the poorest in the urban areas and to offer them an economic alternative. After being born with a silver spoon in its mouth, Hydroponics opted for the poor.

After notable successes in Chile, Venezuela and Colombia, among other countries, hydroponic farming came to Nicaragua in 1993 with César Marulanda, a UNDP official who had been working in hydroponic farming in his native Colombia and other Latin American countries for over 10 years.

His first experience in Nicaragua was disheartening. The people who most needed to grow vegetables using hydroponic methods simply refused to try. “But, do you realize how much land we have in Nicaragua?”, was the question frequently put to Marulanda. “Why should we get into farming without soil, if that’s one thing we have plenty of?” Marulanda’s response was, “That’s true, but how much of that land is yours?” That was a question they couldn’t answer. (Wikipedia)
Some of the reasons why hydroponics is being adapted around the world for food production are the following : no soil is needed;  the water stays in the system and can be reused- thus, lower water costs; it is possible to control the nutrition levels in their entirety- thus, lower nutrition cost;  No nutrition pollution is released into the environment because of the controlled system; stable and high yields; and
pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the container’s mobility.
Against this backdrop, the establishment of several demonstration plots by the National Agricultural Institute (NARI) is a step in the right direction as it would help encourage farmers and those who are gardening inclined to venture into this method of growing their vegetables.
Dr. Oudho Homenauth, Director of NARI, told this newspaper that hydroponics introduces the average Guyanese to opportunities.

“At the household level, there are opportunities not to do all crops but for basic things like celery and lettuce and a host of others… Womenfolk are the ones who are mostly involved in this,” he said.

He added that in light of this, NARI has ongoing training to facilitate those interested in pursuing hydroponics. Training sessions were done in Charity, on the Essequibo Coast; in East Berbice, and on the East Bank of Demerara among other locations. The hinterland communities are also being specifically targeted since they are keen on the concept, Dr. Homenauth said.

“The Ministry of Agriculture has developed a training programme… Right now we are trying to complete simple manuals, and we are trying to complete brochures so that the information is available,” he said.
Plans are also in the pipeline, he said, to have farmers housed at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) during the August holidays, when the students are on vacation and have them participate in training sessions that extend to more than just one day.

“We have not advertised yet; this way, we hope to see more interest. People will have a more hands-on practice with the hydroponics; this is not the usual one or two-hour sessions, but will be dedicated session,” he said.
This step represents an exciting prospect in our agricultural thrust and in addition to our farmers it gives our womenfolk who are at home a wonderful opportunity to get involved in agricultural production.
Perhaps it would be helpful if the method is introduced on school farms across the country as it would serve as another means of educating the public and simultaneously popularizing it across the country.