-But commitment by scholarship awardees sometimes lacking
The Government of Guyana has made significant investments into building its human resource capacity in every sector, and the agriculture sector has invested heavily in training to augment its skills base. In this regard, several persons have been afforded opportunities for training in Cuba, as well as in India.
However, a persisting bugbear is the non-performance by some of those trained overseas at Government’s expense, even though the scholarships have been awarded in partnership with the host nations, especially Cuba and India.
In this context, the general consensus among stakeholders is that there is much more room for improvement.
Case in point, at a farmers’ meeting in Parika Backdams, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) farmers complained that specialists were not available for consultations, although they were mandated to serve the farming community of that region.
Minister Persaud publicly acknowledged the lapses and assured farmers that he will address their concerns, resulting in technical persons now being required to have their visits certified by the farmers themselves.
The Agriculture Minister stressed that mechanisms are being put in place to continuously develop the sector’s capacity and ensure that the investments propel service advancement.
In light of the efforts to continuously improve a diversifying agriculture sector, there have been continuous calls by Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud for more youths to get involved in the sector.
His contention is that a growing world population and the increased need for food production will require a unique, substantial response.
Earlier this month, addressing students at a GSA Career Day, the Agriculture Minister stressed that youths must recognize the potential of the agriculture sector, as well as the fact that their futures are linked to the prosperity of the sector.
“We need young blood,” he said.
Minister Persaud stated that the potential in agriculture is concrete and the returns are significant.
He noted that agriculture is a part of Guyana’s history, but stressed that the agriculture of the future is not the agriculture of yesterday, or even today.
The old perceptions that deter more young people from taking up careers in agriculture, Minister Persaud said, are misplaced.
According to him the agriculture sector of the future is one where the traditional approaches are changing, a sector that is being transformed and revolutionized, as well as one where more emphasis is being placed on mechanization and research, among others.
“We have started this process,” he said.
In this context, Minister Persaud highlighted that this has been a necessary undertaking since the traditional markets, the preferential markets and preferential prices, are no longer there and Guyana now has to compete with global players.
The challenges that come from Guyana having to trade in an international environment, as well as climate change, he said are the pressing issues affecting the sector.
The Agriculture Minister observed that the landscape has changed, as has the sector needs, creating the need for more skills and more opportunities.
He urged the students to consider the agriculture sector as a career path, pointing out that Guyana needs to stay ahead of the game by ensuring there is consistent inflow of resources into the sector.
Minister Persaud said that the objective of the career fair is to outline and explain opportunities in the agriculture sector, and also persuade involvement in a field that contributes in a significant way to Guyana’s economy.
According to him, 35 percent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from the agriculture sector and in the last years the growth of Guyana’s economy was matched with growth in the agriculture sector.
“Agriculture’s contribution is growing…agriculture is vibrant and one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy,” he posited.