GOOD seed paddy is essential for productive agriculture; there is a shortage of basic seed paddy at the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB,) Anna Regina.  Farmers’ access to quality, basic seed paddy is compromised for reasons of availability and price.

Seed is quite literally the starting point for rice crop cultivation. As such, its importance cannot be over stated. Poor quality of seed paddy affects productivity and encourages the spread of diseases and pests.Reserch data, field trials and actual farm use have shown that when properly used, basic seed paddy or highly certified ones can result in significant economic advantage to the farmer.
After the departure in 2001 by Dr .S.Devadattu, the ITEC Specialist who was attached to the Burma Rice Research Station at Burma, the development of new rice varieties ended.Dr .S. Devadattu had joined the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) on May 12, 1995 as Head of Plant Pathology under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation of the Government of India. He along with his Indian colleagues started working on the development of blast-resistant lines.
Thousands of his breeding lines were evaluated at different blast-prone areas and hundreds of blast-resistant lines were identified. Upon completing three years of his contract with the GRDB, he requested his relief from the Board as of August 13; 2001.
GRDB will need new seeds adapted to farmers’ production requirements and conditions, and be able to meet the challenges of shifting agro-ecological systems caused by climate change.
A new, unauthorised rice variety has originated from neighbouring Suriname which was cultivated and is  suspected to have the deadly “hoax Blanca” disease ( a disease prevalent in the Suriname rice industry )which is  seriously affecting  locally grown varieties bred by Dr.S.Devadattu.Since the importation and planting of the illegal  variety, it  is spreading  new pests and diseases in the rice industry  which could have disastrous consequences on farmers’ crops.