AGRICULTURE Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy says that the Caribbean region has a poor research capacity and that needs to be changed.
“We have done a poor job,” Dr. Ramsammy said as he pointed out that those were among the constraints recognised by the Jagdeo Initiative.However, he highlighted the work done by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the University of the West Indies, St. George’s University in Grenada and the locally based University of Guyana, Guyana School of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI).

Minister Ramsammy was at the time addressing the opening of a media workshop in Greater Georgetown which targeted journalists across the Caribbean. The workshop which continues today at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, will see several aspects of the coverage of agriculture issues being brought to the fore.
INDIGENOUS RESEARCH
Dr Ramsammy noted that there is a dire need for indigenous research. The workshop focuses on inclusive Evidence-Based Coverage of Agriculture and Rural Development issues and is being facilitated by CARDI and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) along with the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM).
Even as Ramsammy stresses the need for more research, allocations from the Government of Guyana to CARDI have not been paid in years.
Speaking to reporters following the opening of the workshop, Ramsammy said that “efforts are being made to transfer the sums owed to the regional body based in Trinidad.” However, Minister Ramsammy could not say how much is owed.
The opening of the workshop comes as Guyana along with the rest of the Caribbean observes the 12th Annual Caribbean Week of Agriculture. This has seen a renewed call for more media coverage that could promote food security in the region.
Ramsammy estimates that “food insecurity” affects some 8 million people in the Caribbean, adding that agriculture holds the answers to addressing the food and nutrition puzzles.
Also recognizing the importance of the media in promoting coverage of agriculture issues was Maurice Wilson of CARDI.
“Constantly we have underestimated in many ways the overriding importance of agriculture…it is linked to health, manufacturing, provides food to the mining sector…”
Agriculture has been described as not being attractive enough for media coverage but Wilson believes that it is important enough to warrant in-depth coverage.
“We collectively must make agriculture a significant important element in our lives… and bring it to the attention of all the stakeholders that matter.”
Thierry Doudet of the CTA noted that the media workshop can be used to strengthen reporting on agriculture and rural development issues. The CTA is known for its technical capacity that has been able to provide specialised information on a range of issues including agriculture, climate change and food and nutrition.