—–bottom line of agricultural technology thrust
The advancement of new agricultural technologies at the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is centered on a simple bottom line – the enhancement of thelivelihood of the average farmer.
“Within the last two to three years, we have stepped up efforts to continuously develop new technologies,” said Director of NARI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth, in an interview. He added that NARI demonstrates new technology so that the average farmers can see its benefits.
NARI has several demonstration facilities across the country, including one at Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara, the Kairuni Horticulture Station and the Timehri Research and Demonstration Facility, the latter two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Berbice).
According to Homenauth, the three main areas of focus this year, as it relates to new technology, are hydroponics and shade house, as well as aquaponics.
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants – in Guyana it is mostly green leafy products, using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil.
Researchers discovered in the 19th century that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant’s water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive.  Hydroponics is also a standard technique in biology research and teaching.
Hydroponics began receiving attention from NARI last June, and since then there has been successful crops, as well as advancements at the different demonstration sites.
Currently, it is being practised by the average farmer in Regions Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), Three (West Demerara/ Essequibo Islands) and Five (Mahaica/ Berbice).
Homenauth said hydroponics technology is catching on, but the range of crops is somewhat limited to leafy vegetables.
However, he made it clear that production of leafy vegetables using hydroponics technology on a commercial level, not only a subsistence level, is a lucrative venture.
“We have a number of requests from persons and institutions, as well, including schools,” the NARI Director said.
He explained that there are many ways to set up hydroponics, from backyard set-ups to large scale production, and people’s interest is on what is needed and how to mix the nutrients.
Homenauth added that it is difficult to assess the success of hydroponics, but stated that the technology has proven to be a versatile one.
Some of the reasons why hydroponics is being adapted around the world for food production are:
•    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 costs
•    No nutrition pollution is released into the environment because of the controlled system
•    Stable and high yields
•    Pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the container’s mobility
•    Faster growth combined with relative freedom from soil disease, and consistency in crops
•    Considerable reduction in growing area
•    Weeds are practically non-existent, while standard methods and automatic operations mean less labor, lower cost, and less difficult manual labor; and
•    As some plants can be raised out of season, better control of crops naturally results.
The other technology which has been widely adapted along the coast is that of shade houses. The technology is present in Regions Three, Four, Five (Mahaica/ Berbice), Six , and ten.
Similar to a greenhouse, the shade house allows for cultivation of crops in a controlled environment. However, unlike the greenhouse, the shade house is not enclosed. This marked difference in the infrastructure is what sets the two apart.
Homenauth explained that, like hydroponics, there are different ways to use the shade house technology.
These include the sheltered cultivation where UV plastic is used; the semi-green house, where the structure is enclosed; and the seedling house, which ensures protection from insects.
The plants suitable for cultivation in the shade house include tomatoes, cabbage, celery, lettuce, pepper, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, among others.
The NARI Director explained that with the shade house cultivation, farmers are encouraged to do “delayed planting” or, in other words, not plant everything at once.
“With callaloo for example, you are ready to harvest in 21 days; and if you plant the seedlings at least three days apart, you will have more crops for a sustained market,” he said.
Homenauth noted too that the technology has caught on, and aside from NARI and its demonstration facilities, the Guyana Defence Force and several private farms have employed the technology.
He said, “It is being done at different levels, but it is definitely picking up and more people are using the shade house for commercial purposes.”
The NARI Director added that technical support is provided by NARI; and once interest is expressed, NARI’s officers have the farmers pay a visit to a demonstration facility, then farmers are assisted to set up their own operations.
He stated that NARI also assists by making assessments and giving farmers recommendations of what plants and fertilizers to use.
“Right now we also do routine checks to support, in whatever way we can,” he said,
Also, a more recent undertaking of NARI is the exploration of the aqua-ponics technology.
It is essentially the symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a re-circulating environment.  Aquatic animal effluent (for example fish waste) accumulates in water as a by-product of keeping them in a closed system or tank, for example a re-circulating aquaculture system. The effluent-rich water becomes high in plant nutrients but this is correspondingly toxic to the aquatic animal.
Plants are grown in a way that enables them to utilize the nutrient-rich water. The plants take up the nutrients, reducing or eliminating the water’s toxicity for the aquatic animal. The water, now clean, is returned to the aquatic animal environment and the cycle continues.
Aquaponic systems do not discharge or exchange water. The systems rely on the relationship between the aquatic animals and the plants to maintain the environment. Water is only added to replace water loss from absorption by the plants, evaporation into the air, or the removal of biomass from the system. Also the systems vary in size from small indoor units to large commercial units. They can use fresh or salt water depending on the type of aquatic animal and vegetation.
Homenauth said aqua-ponics is not being done on a large scale as yet, but maintained that NARI is working with stakeholders in the aquaculture sector to develop the technology.

Future Moves
As it relates to moves in the future, the NARI Director indicated that demonstration facilities will be established in all 10 regions of Guyana, as a part of the process through which technology developed by NARI is transferred.
Homenauth highlighted that the demonstration facilities will be four to five acre plots and there will be 14 facilities constructed.
He pointed out that this is a part of the food security strategy and added that Rockstone, in Region 10, is one of the first villages to benefit from the construction of the new facilities, a process which started in the latter part of last month.
The construction of the facilities is expected to begin this year, after the logistics are worked out and will continue into 2011.
The NARI Director stated that the Farmers’ Field School sessions will be used to advance this aim of the demonstration facilities.
According to him, the support provided by the new facilities will not just be how to manage plants, but will see farmers receiving advice on addressing problems in a comprehensive way.
“The idea is to have a model to show the people the technology so that they can make use of it and improve their livelihoods,” Homenauth said.
He added that this will be very important, since at present farmers are skeptical about coming on board with new initiatives.
“They say it cost too much or they don’t have the money; but what the demonstration facilities will show is the benefits. If you invest $20 you can get back $40…the new technologies we are bringing to the farmers are different, are more economically viable,” Homenauth said.
He added that NARI is hoping to get farmers out of an old mould where they focus too much on the cost, rather than the long term benefits.
In this context, the NARI Director said the primary challenge is getting farmers to understand the business approach as it relates to the new technologies NARI is advancing.
He stressed that with increased awareness, this challenge will be overcome, but he stressed too that for commercial purposes, farmers need to know more, in particular their market needs.
“In the long term, food security will further improve and farmers will have more money in their pockets…they will have enhanced livelihoods, which is essentially the bottom line of our thrust,” Homenauth posited.