-Development with Equity, NARI a major player
Development with a human face and with equity has been the thrust of the various administrations under Guyana’s beloved leader, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, and the governance of the current administration has driven its spectrum of developmental initiatives on this promise and premise. The most vulnerable of all Guyanese communities are its first peoples, and Government has endeavoured relentlessly to empower these communities, especially in the hinterland regions, so that they are not deprived of opportunities that are readily available to coastal citizens.
Thus it is that the agriculture sector has driven a hinterland initiative that projects to make those communities food secure, as well as boost capacity for enhancing the quality of the lives of the Amerindian peoples.
The inclusion of Amerindians in the developmental thrust, people who have long since been sidelined, is indicative of the current administration’s recognition of their importance to Guyana’s national construct.
Within this context, there has been specific focus on improving food security and self-sufficiency in the Hinterland regions, because of several reasons, including the high cost of transporting food to the Hinterland.
In all these interventions the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) has played a major role, and Director of NARI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth, said the efforts being made are having significant impacts.
To date, the major undertakings include, among others, the start of the cassava improvement programme, although several on-farm trials involving the cultivation of bitter cassava are on-going to ensure availability of quality cassava planting material. The high-intensity rainfall in Regions One (Barima/ Waini) and Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni) had threatened production of the staple in 2009.
Shoot flies and whiteflies were controlled in some communities and monitoring will continue. These activities will ensure food security and assure support to the Hinterland Schools Hot Meal Feeding Programme.
Women groups in Regions One and Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) are producing cassava bread and cassareep at a commercial level for the local and export market;
The orchard, peanuts and vegetable improvement programme, where community vegetables plots were encouraged, as well as school vegetable farms will propel this activity to produce fruits and vegetables organically. Towards this objective, farmers in Regions One and Seven were trained in the homemade production of pesticides, compost and growth hormones. These were tested and proven successful. Also, community nurseries were encouraged, with the training of farmers to do budding and grafting to improve fruit production in Regions One, Seven and Eight (Potaro/ Siparuni).
At Mahdia there was collaboration with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) in the establishment of a community nursery agriculture production to support an alternative or sustainable support to mining. This project will be established in mining communities in other regions.
Breeding animals have also been distributed to hinterland communities to support their livestock programmes.
Planting materials, water pumps, generators, chemicals etc. have also been supplied to residents, while there has been a systemic programme in attempts to eliminate and/or control acoushi ants.
The launch of the Rice/Beans Project, which is funded by the Spanish and Guyana Governments, focuses on the establishment of 82 acres of rice and 11 acres of beans cultivation programme over a three-year period at a cost of US$643,000. This will support the improvement of rural development of the Rupununi Savannah’s indigenous communities.  The first crop of paddy was harvested at Moco Moco in September this year.
Homenauth conceded, “We are not the only agency supporting Hinterland agriculture, and yes, there is much more to be done…but in the areas where there are limitations these are being addressed as we move forward.”
Regional Support
In Region One, Homenauth said, a facility has been set up at Hosoroso to provide seedlings to farmers to assist their agricultural undertakings.
He noted that particular emphasis is being placed on the cultivation of spices and said that NARI is working with a group of about 30 farmers on this initiative.
“The spices programme is doing well and is catching on in areas like Moruca and the Waini, among others,” Homenauth said.
Other forms of support, according to him, include supporting farmers battling with plant diseases and pests problems, and also supporting the Amerindian Affairs Ministry’s Secure Livelihood Programme.
Region Seven, he said, has a facility located at Bartica, which, like the facility in Region One, assists farmers with the provision of seedlings.
Homenauth said a major thrust in the Region is the establishment of a shade house.
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 completely enclosed. This marked difference in the infrastructure is what sets the two apart.
This technology is already present in Regions Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands), Four (Demerara/Mahaica), Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice).
The NARI Director said, “Having the shade house set up is very useful because it facilitates farmers in that area to be exposed to new technologies that will increase their productivity.”
He added that several training programmes have also been facilitated in the region to assist in improving farmer education.
In Region Eight, Homenauth acknowledged that the support is not as extensive, but said technical staffers have been assigned to different areas, including Kato.
He noted, too, that work has started in the different areas, with focal areas including the spices programmes.
“The spices have done well in the area and an evaluation will be done so that we could move forward with this,” Homenauth said.
The intensive agricultural thrust in Region Nine, according to the NARI Director, has yielded progress.
He pointed out that facilities there have been expanded to include a laboratory to do soil testing and pests and disease diagnosis.
“We are placing emphasis also on fruit plants, especially cashew,” he said.
Additionally, Homenauth said the drip irrigation technology being used in the Region, at St. Ignatius and Annai, and recently St. Cuthbert’s Mission, has caught on.
The Drip-Irrigation System allows timely and consistent distribution of water along the root zones of plants, uniformed distribution, and reduction of wastage.
“People find it useful and are clamoring for it because they are able to produce consistently…year round, basically,” Homenauth said.
Also in Aranaputa, the NARI Director said, a 10-acre demonstration farm has been set up to address different problems, such as access to peanut seeds.
“The farm is a model farm used to show farmers different technologies,” he said.
According to him the demonstration facilities, particularly in the Hinterland Region, is essential to the success of agricultural activities.
A major project in the Region, the Rice/Bean programme, done in Moco Moco, saw NARI providing technical support, in collaboration with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA).
Homenauth said, “We focused more on the beans, but this is an example of how communities can work together, if provided the requisite support, and become self-sufficient and food secure.”
Impact
To date, the current administration’s policies relative to Amerindian and Hinterland development, especially in the area of agriculture, have had positive impacts.
The consensus among sector stakeholders is that the progressive polices on Hinterland agriculture will see significant enhancement in the agriculture sector in general, and go a long way to bolster Guyana’s food secure status.
Reports from the Agriculture Ministry indicate that Guyana is food secure and is the only CARICOM country that enjoys food sovereignty status.
More importantly, the long-term impact of such massive investments is the empowerment of the Amerindian people, whose inclusion in the development of Guyana’s national architecture is a priority of the PPP/C administration.