THE main aim of organisers of a national Shadehouse Vegetable Production Project is to organise hydroponic and organic vegetable farmers into geographic clusters. 

The US$1.35M project is by the Inter- American Development Bank/Japanese Trust Fund and is being implemented by Partners of the Americas (POA Guyana Chapter) and Caribbean Self Reliance International (CASRI).
To be held in all the administrative regions, the  project  will last for four years aimed at improving the economic welfare of vulnerable and disadvantaged men, women and youth, and increasing community economic growth. Coordinator Mr. Kelvin Craig of POA recently disclosed.
He said, “Clusters raise the profitability and sustainability of groups of small-to medium-sized farmers beyond levels that individual farmers can achieve operating on their own.”
Mr. Rowland Fletcher, country representative of CASRI, said , “We in CASRI consider the evolution of strong and capable  geographic clusters as the backbone of a vibrant and influential network of producers. Herein lies the blueprint for independent organisational capacity, sustainable growth and eventual success.”
The heads of the implementing agencies made these comments during the official launch of the programme at the St. Stanislaus College Farm in Sophia last week.
The programme was officially launched with opening remarks by Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.
The general objective is to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for low-income households in rural and coastal communities in Guyana, by engaging small scale producers in hydroponic and natural/organic cultivation of vegetables for domestic and export markets.

Craig disclosed that training in production, provision of market access support for both local and external markets, and networking/association building or cluster development are the three components.
He said that the production component will comprise hands-on training in areas including compost production, natural pesticide production, planting in containers, the use of soilless media, the  use of plant nutrients and care and management of the organic vegetables garden.
This component will also include development of hydroponic shade-houses, natural/organic farms and home-based gardens in areas even where yard space is limited.
The marketing component will include a market survey for hydroponic and natural/organic vegetables and culinary herbs and linkages of producers with buyers such as local supermarkets and hotels.
Craig said that it was envisaged that the linking of buyers with farmers would be made easier with the formation of clusters of producers.
He said that a consultant has been employed to carry out the formation of such clusters.

(By Clifford Stanley)