– With assistance from NAREI, CARDI & ITC

SEVERAL farmers were selected to manage demonstration nurseries for coconuts as the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), and the International Trade Centre look towards the resuscitating of Guyana’s coconut industry.

The farmers, attached to the Stakeholder Platform, are operating in Regions Two, Four, Five and 10. Once managed properly, these nurseries are expected to progress into becoming commercial entities.

The establishment of these nurseries allows the beneficiaries to practically apply theoretical knowledge gained from several training exercises such as integrated pest management, coconut husbandry, business, and nursery management. Further, it presents the opportunity for farmers to improve their livelihoods.

Local farmers are expected to have increased access to various varieties of coconut seedlings shortly, as the goal of the project is to produce 5,000 coconut seedlings.
The project is going forward with financing from the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific Secretariat.

Chief Executive Officer of NAREI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth on Thursday met with CARDI’s Country Representative, Dr. Cyril Roberts and International Consultant of ITC, Ben Morrison to discuss activities involving the setting up of a coconut germplasm in Guyana.
Of the 10 demonstration nurseries that will be established four are now operational. Two of the four nurseries are located in Mahaica, one at Linden and the other at Buxton. Currently, each nursery has approximately 400 seedlings.

Within recent weeks, representatives of the agencies and farmers have been collecting nuts from and marking healthy mother palms. The nuts were placed in nurseries built by lead farmers (beneficiaries) with assistance from secondary farmers. It is expected that the secondary farmers will receive a percentage of good seedlings from the lead farmers.

After this, farmers will be able to continuously supply the demands for planting materials locally. Following a cost analysis, the price per seedling would be derived. However, the intention is have farmers pay a fair stable price per seedling. Many farmers find the present market price per seedling burdensome.