THE month of October was officially launched as Agriculture Month yesterday at the Ministry of Agriculture, under the theme: “Better Technology, Better Farming – Ensuring Food Security.”

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that his ministry plans to use the occasion to reaffirm its commitment to the use of technology to improve farming and more so, Guyana’s economy.
He advised that this year, Agriculture Month will be celebrated a bit different from previous years, adding that instead of doing a lot of talking, they plan to do a lot more showing. They will also be placing much emphasis on educating people on the new methods of agriculture, such as hydroponics and drip technology.
Dr. Ramsammy stated that the sector has been transformed for better yields, noting the many improvements that were made possible through technology such as the ability to package sugar.
He further revealed that by the end of November, the Ministry of Agriculture compound on Regent Road, Georgetown, will be transformed to showcase the various new technologies in agriculture. He said the ministry wants to demonstrate how crops can be grown in simple ways, so that people can even be able to produce for their own consumption.
In addition, as part of the month’s activities, the ministry also plans to take people into the fields and factories to see firsthand how agriculture has been transformed to be better yielding practices with improved production.
He noted, for example, that not so long ago rice was being produced at 15 or 16 bags per acre, while today some farmers achieve more than 40 bags using the same plot of land.
Furthermore, the minister disclosed that various agricultural institutions around the country, such as Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), the Satyadeo Sawh Aquaculture Centre, and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), among others, will be hosting open day activities during this month.
Some of the other activities include the commissioning of the Marketing Information Centre, Essequibo Night and World Food Day.