GUYANA is seeking ways in which to expand its agricultural contributions to the food security issues with which the country is faced and generate wealth and livelihood for the people. This is according to Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who noted that Guyana has gone beyond satisfying the food needs of the population and is at a stage where crops are generating income for the planters.
Ramsammy said Guyana is one of those countries that have met the food security obligation to produce enough for the nationals.
“There are pockets where people, for various reasons, have to access food from the different regions and that could create some inaffordability,” he, however, explained.
The Minister said, last year, Guyana started the rice and beans cultivation pilot project, in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo), to ensure that the reliance on certain food, like cassava, was reduced.
He said it demonstrated that the country can, in fact, grow rice and beans in the hinterland and announced that, for the second half of 2012, the enterprise will be expanded and, in addition, the integrated farm being established at St. Ignatius, Rupununi, will produce food for the school dormitory in the area.
Ramsammy said it is the hope that it would also provide for the supermarket in the area and the food programme can also be a model for the other Regions’ communities.
He explained that his ministry will be putting people from  Region Nine in that farm at St. Ignatius, to demonstrate that they can grow other foods, beside cassava and peanuts, in that  Region.

SAME PLAN
Ramsammy said the same plan has been sketched out for the other Regions and, in Regions Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) sites have been identified for pilot projects in spices, onions and potatoes.
Those Regions are at the stage of examining ways to expand the cultivation in those crops, he disclosed.
“There is no question that we can expand that cultivation. There is no question that we can expand this cultivation not only in Regions 7 and 8 but in Regions One and Nine, that is, in potatoes and onion and ginger and other spices,” Ramsammy assured.
He said it is evident and has been proven that this initiative is possible and what is left to be done is getting those projects from within the various Regions that are in excess of their needs to the coast, since it  is not only providing food to their table but a wealth generating activity for the people.
“We have gone beyond satisfying the food needs for the people. We have gone at a stage where agriculture is generating wealth for the people but they cannot do so with the small populations that they have. They have to be able to sell to a larger population,” he pointed out.
Ramsammy said the coastland represents where these farmers would have to sell their products if they are to make the intended profit.
The other thing is getting food to the coast in an affordable way, so that, by the time it arrives there, the price is competitive with the imported stuff, he said.
Additionally, the minister said that the Agriculture Ministry has been promoting the cultivation of crops such as blackpepper and it has proven successful in Region One, so much focus will be placed on it.
Ramsammy said blackpepper is one of the imports right now but, through cultivation, Guyana will be looking to replace the importation bill by producing  it in Region One and in the Pomeroon River.
He said, too: “We are always looking at poultry and other needs of people in the hinterland.”