THE agricultural sector continues to be an important pillar to food security and suitability in Guyana. In fact, anyone can contribute to its sustenance by making maximum use of all available resources. Growing food doesn’t require one to be a scientist or an agriculturalist, but being equipped with a plot of land and a love for farming; anyone at home can plant a sustainable garden. But it all starts with effective Soil Management.

Soil Management:
Soils play an important role in food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation and NAREI has been placing enhanced emphasis upon them. A healthy soil is the foundation for profitability, productive and environmentally sound agricultural systems. According to the Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Mr. Jagnarine Singh, by understanding the soil processes which support plant growth, it is possible to design a crop and soil-management system that improves and maintains soil health overtime and remains essential for the long-term sustainability and commercial viability of agriculture.

One of the most important and necessary resources to complement effective soil management is fertilisation, as it provides the nutrients needed by plants to grow properly and yield a quality product. Fertilisation accounts for one-third or more of crop yields, as such, inadequate fertility starves the crops. It is necessary, therefore, to supply plants with precise and balanced amounts of nutrients for their optimal growth. This is an area in which NAREI continues to assist farmers and residents through the extension arm of the institute.

Composting and Vericomposting- An alternative to waste management:
Composting of organic waste offers solutions to a large amount of waste worldwide. It is a natural process of recycling decomposed organic materials into rich soil known as compost. Traditional composting of organic waste has been known for years, but new methods have become much more common in organic waste treatment and something that NAREI has been pushing for returns in Alternative Waste Management in Guyana.

In Guyana, NAREI has been conducting experiments with one such composting technique called vermicomposting, a biotechnological process whereby earthworms convert food waste to a nutrient-rich material, stimulate microbial activity, and at the same time, increase the rate of mineralisation of the soil. It is rich in nutrients, poor in readily biodegradable carbon, and relatively free of any plant and human pathogens. Earthworms play a major role in breaking down the waste materials which form vermicompost.

The use of compost and vermicompost for planting has been highlighted in agriculture as a beneficial medium for improving plant growth, yield and the maintenance of soil fertility and crop yield. It is one of the best organic media for planting, as it’s highly organic and contains no chemicals, making it environmentally friendly. However, there is a difference: composting contains plant nutrients but is not characterised as a fertiliser, while, vermicomposting on the other hand is seen as ideal, as it leaves behind castings, a valuable type of fertiliser.

Advantages of Composting:
* The decomposition of organic matter by micro-organisms under controlled conditions
* The conversion of organic materials into humus, a rich, nutrient material
* Safe for application to soils as it is rich in nutrients for plants, but is not characterised as a fertiliser.
* Recycles plant nutrients and supplies a variety of macro and micronutrients
* Improves soil structure and porosity
* Improves water-holding capacity and contributes to carbon sequestration
Note: Healthy soil means there is less need for water, chemicals or pesticides

Advantages of Vermicomposting:
* Increased porosity and microbial activities in soil and improved water retention and aeration
* Decreases the amount of waste at landfills and in so doing, benefits the environment
* Less Cost of Production
* Allows for the recycling of nutrients back into the soils
* It is a key element in sustainable agriculture

In Next Week’s edition, NAREI IN FOCUS will highlight some of the successful trials collaborated with local farmers and residents. Happy Farming your plate will thank you later!!!!