STAKEHOLDERS within the agriculture sector are currently participating in a five-day training programme on the use of fertilisers, biofertilisers and nutrient management.

The training was launched on Monday at the Guyana School of Agriculture and is being conducted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which according to Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha is a step in the right direction.

During his remarks at the launch, Mustapha stated that this training will aid in the fast-tracking of food production even as he added that the efficient use of fertilisers will aid farmers immensely as it would reduce the cost of production and increase the yield.

He said: “For this initiative to be successful, we need our extension officers who are the important link between the government, private sector, and farmers to be proactive and to extend our reach and services to every region, farmers, and farming communities in our country.”

According to the minister, minerals and biofertilisers play a key role in sustainable agriculture as it improves soil fertility and crop productivity.

He went on to add that fertilisers were developed to improve the quality of fruits and seeds which leads to better harvests and earnings.

“Efficient use of nutrients can be achieved by the adoption of best nutrient management practices. This is achieved when the right fertiliser product is selected and applied in the right amount and at the right time and place to match plant needs and reduce nutrient losses,” he said.

Mustapha stated that there must be collective efforts to improve agricultural productivity and enhance farm performance specifically in regions where food is more needed.
During the launch, he remarked that the government has made strides to assist farmers with fertilisers among other things.

He disclosed that the government has allocated some $1 billion to farmers and thus far, over 21,000 farmers have benefitted.

“However, to address both the medium and long-term impacts, this increase in fertiliser prices should be used as a motivator to accelerate our innovations in the use of biofertilisers and other technologies, and policies in response to this rapid cost rise and discuss ways to mitigate the effects of increasing food and input price on the region,” he said.

A number of extension officers and staff attached to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and other agencies are participating in the five-day training activity.