The editorial of Stabroek News November 14, 2011, captioned: “The dubious Grow More Food campaign”, was clearly written by an uninformed person who  has sought to do nothing but misrepresent the actual progress being made within the agricultural sector.
With the General and Regional elections of Guyana slated for November 28, 2011, one would hope that such an editorial is not politically motivated.

More specifically, the editorial focused much more on many government projects and programmes that are not agriculturally related, but an attempt to report on the developmental works undertaken by the current Government of Guyana such as  the One Laptop Per Family programme, the fire optic cables and the Amaila Falls project.

Further, SN editorial seeks to attack the Hon. Minister Robert Persaud personally and professionally in his capacity as Minister of Agriculture, by alluding to the fact that the PPP/C has been in government for 19 years.

Perhaps, these remarks are as a result of the pivotal role that Mr. Robert Persaud is playing in the development of the agricultural sector in Guyana.

It would be envisaged that, at such a crucial juncture, the SN will not try to distort the facts by attempting to paint a bad picture of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Grow More Food Campaign in an attempt to support any political motive.

However, the evidence is clear and the reality speaks for itself and readers are fully knowledgeable of the Programme and its successful outcome. As such, please allow me to highlight below the true mechanisms of the Ministry of Agriculture as it relates to the Grow More Food Campaign.

It should be noted that SN did not publish the information below which was sent to them by the Ministry of Agriculture a week before the afore-mentioned editorial appeared in their publication.

Key Initiatives to Reduce the Effects of Rising Global Food Prices from 2008 – 2011
1. GROW MORE FOOD CAMPAIGN
* To combat the effects of the global increases in food prices.
* To ensure that Guyanese have adequate food available for themselves and for export.
Achievements:
First Phase-:  Focus on ensuring Guyana’s food security, especially during the period of rising fuel prices which has led to rising food prices. 
* Launched under a ‘market-led’ approach in March 2008
* Consisted of a five-step plan which includes, apart from the READ and ADP projects, increased investment in drainage and irrigation, enhanced extension services (regional coordinators, extension agents, formation of NAREI) and increased availability of seeds,  planting materials and other farming inputs, tools etc.
* The GMC engaged in providing VAT-free consumer items
* Countrywide consultations to address the global food crisis and food prices
* Consultations addressed measures to combat the increasing cost of living (increased incomes; improve land distribution and infrastructure; increase private investment in rural areas; and increase investment in agriculture and introduction of farmers’ market days.
* Approval of all outstanding, viable food production investment projects.
* Distribution of 600,000 packets of seeds and 150,000 units of planting materials.
* Achousi ant-control chemicals,  baits and other support for hinterland communities conducted.
* Improved land utilisation project
* Tilling of farmers’ lands in arable areas of low production
* Essequibo Agricultural Land Development Project (over 500 10-acre plots made available for farmers to cultivate virgin lands)
* Aurora Land Development Project – over 5000 acres to be brought into cultivation

Second Phase-:  Focus on catering for the challenges and support to all farmers, agro-processors and exporters resulting from the Global Food Crisis and High Food Prices.
* Launched in August 2011 at the Square of the Revolution
* Farmers and farmers groups benefited from fertilizers, seeds, planting materials, livestock (pigs, chickens, rice bran, etc)
* In excess of over 10,000 bags of fertilizers distributed to rice farmers
* Distributions conducted throughout all farming communities countrywide
* Emphasis also placed on vulnerable hinterland, riverine and rural communities.
* Continuous technical and extension services support nationwide is being conducted.

* Various developmental projects, in collaboration with international agencies, targeted towards increasing Guyana’s agricultural growth potential.

2. AGRICULTURAL EXPORT DIVERSIFICATION PROGRAMME
* Aimed at establishing services and institutions for a sustainable increase in the income derived from the export of non-traditional agricultural exports in aquaculture, fruits and vegetables and livestock subsectors
* Enhancing the protection of domestic consumers from illness and domestic production from disease and contamination. 
* Exports increased by 32.4% (from 7,116mt in 2008 to 9,423mt in 2009).
*  Exports of agro-processing amounts to US$3.4M in 2009
**  Agriculture Support Services Project (ASSP)
* Targeting Drainage and Irrigation, farmers’ education, delegation of authority to Water Users Association and construction of seed facilities in rice.
* Rural Enterprise and Development Project (READ)
* Aimed at strengthening intermediary service providers, institutions whose services add value to production and marketing systems and improve rural welfare.
* Logistical Support to potential Investors
* Through the New GMC, providing potential investors by facilitating and coordinating their visits to farming communities across the country, and by providing related information on the non-traditional agricultural sector.
** Interventions in Agro-processing
* Agro-processing such as a coconut water bottling plant proposal, the development of flours and juices and the provision of training to farmers to assist them in the production of higher value-added products.
* Education campaign
* Collaboration with the school system and the Guyana School of Agriculture to raise awareness and educate students of agricultural aspects.  The new GMC has produced supportive promotional materials at a cost of $7M.
** Continued Dialogue
With private sector, civil society, trade unions and other associations to listen to their recommendations and ensure that the Grow More Food Campaign is given impetus and support by all stakeholders.

3. CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE
To deal with the effects of the changing weather patterns. Food security and climate change issues are addressed together by transforming agriculture and adopting practices that are “climate-smart”. A number of production systems are already being used by farmers and food producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and reduce vulnerability to ensure that local agricultural outputs are available to all sections of the local population.

4. Resulting from the grow more food campaign are:
* Increased infrastructure (drainage and irrigation, labs, access roads)
* Renewed focus on extension services
* Introduction of relevant technologies
* More access to financing, especially for small farmers
* Through the Guyana Office for Investment (GOINVEST), approx. 335 agricultural projects valued to about $21.633M were implemented during the period 2007 – 2010
* New jobs created through these agricultural projects for the period 2007/2010 amounted to about 2,004
* A more comprehensive agricultural diversification and export strategy
5. Tabling of three pieces of agricultural legislation to facilitate agricultural production and export diversification.
* Plant Health Bill
* Animal Health Bill
* Seed B
ill

6. Launching of the Guyana Food and Nutrition Security Strategy
This is aimed at improving the health and well-being of all persons living in Guyana through enhanced food and nutrition security. In developing and implementing policies and programmes to achieve this overall goal, measures and actions will be taken that will impact the entire population, but the primary concern will be with those sections of the population that live in poverty and are considered particularly vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity.

7. Other Agricultural Initiatives in response to rising food prices include;
* Promotion and availability of more local produce on the local markets,
* Improving the production and productivity of the four Ps (plantain, pumpkin, pepper and pineapple).
* The acquisition/importation of improved varieties that meet market demands.
* New varieties of cassava would be acquired and distributed to farmers.
* Intensification of hinterland programme cassava mills etc.
* Further, utilizing integrated farming in coconut-growing regions to improve productivity will be done, whilst, examining the prospects of producing value-added coconut products such as virgin coconut oil, coconut milk powder and desiccated coconut.
* Other efforts to ensure that food production continues in an effective manner include: continuing to expand spice cultivation, primarily in hinterland communities, the provision of adequate and timely extension and crop protection services to farmers to increase production and productivity,
* Facilitate the acquisition of equipment, embryos and breeding animals for the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and to ensuring that farmers are kept abreast with the appropriate and relevant technologies to maximize production,
* Short-term interventions limited to the micro level such as targeted consumer subsidies and safety net programmes, or even counterproductive, such as export restrictions which compounded uncertainty and undermined the negative role that trade may play during these prime periods.
* Removal of the Extension Service from the jurisdiction of the Crops and Livestock Department and the creation of a separate unit called the Crop Development Support Services (CDSS) under NAREI to foster the much needed link between research and extension. 
* The assignment of Regional Coordinators
* The development of an operational mechanism to enhance the linkage between research and extension in the field;
* Strengthening the rural organisations (Region 10 Farmers Association etc.)’ structure, support, networks, relationships, attitudes, and values that govern interactions among members and contribute to economic and social development; and
* Provision of scholarships for students to attend the Guyana School of Agriculture.
* Execution of over 140 technical sessions for farmers and schools in Agronomy and livestock management.
* Training for farmers in agrochemical management and the management of pests and diseases
* Improved technologies such as drip irrigation and shade-houses transferring to farming communities.
* Farmers trained in various aspects of crop and livestock production as well as agro-processing and nursery management.
* Rice and bean project in Region 9 to improve Hinterland food security over 82 acres of land already cultivated.
* Spice cultivation also as part of Hinterland food security.

8. On-going Government Response to Cushion Rising Global Food Prices, these include;
* Providing approximately $200M to cushion the effects of increased flour and bread prices
* 8% increase in wages and salaries for public servants
* Temporary cost of living adjustment of $4,000 per month to Government employees earning a basic salary of $50,000 and below
* Financial support to GPL and GWI to off-set increases in fuel and other agricultural inputs cost
* Reduction on excise on gasoline to reduce impact of increased on world market
* Strict monitoring of exports of rice to ensure adequate supply for local market and ‘Rice Price Buster’ to cushion the effects of the increased cost for rice
* The launching of the flour price relief trucks across the country to make affordable flour in limited quantities available in vulnerable communities.
* Government Food Assistance Programme
* Farmers’ Assistance programme
* Parika Packaging Facility
* El Nino Intervention
* Improving the Cold-Chain for non-tradition products
* Participated in regional (CARICOM) efforts to cushion rising cost of food and inputs on international market acceleration.

The overarching goal of the Ministry of Agriculture has been to ensure that the most vulnerable people and communities are not denied access to nutritious food. The answer to food price volatility is not to prosecute or block markets, but to use them better. By empowering the poor, the Ministry has taken practical steps towards ensuring the availability of nutritious food.

In order to tackle the root causes of hunger, the Ministry of Agriculture is continuously facilitating the greater investment in agriculture, expanding safety nets and social assistance programmes, and enhancing income-generating activities for the rural and urban poor. The ministry’s policy commitment will play an important role in maintaining a viable agricultural economy in the face of climate change and other external factors that impact on the growth and development of our local economy.