Nurturing innovation in traditional farming

THE community of Laluni has emerged as one of the few remaining communities that has developed and emphasised agriculture as much as it has. Regardless of age, agriculture seems to run through the veins of the people of Laluni. The younger people of the community have also taken up the mantle of farming. With improvements in technology, a better understanding of modern farming practices, and new ideas, the young farmers of Laluni have plans to bring more than agriculture to the forefront of their community’s development.

The new generation of agricultural pioneers
Sachin Singh was born and raised in the community of Laluni. Although he moved around the village quite a bit, this ambitious young man has settled on some 20-something acres of land at the very beginning of the village. Sachin’s and many other farms in Laluni paint a picture where agriculture meets serene landscape beauty. With various crops, Sachin and the team of young men he works with tend to their crops daily, and are constantly searching for ways to revolutionise agriculture.

The fact that Laluni has no water is sometimes easy to overlook, as members of the community, true to their nature, have dug and developed their wells. The people of Laluni have long been innovative in their approach to dealing with community issues. As Sachin explained, much of his childhood was characterised by issues that faced the community, and how families like his made the effort to make it work. He shared, “Growing up in Laluni was not an easy life, but whatever my parents provided for me, I made it work.”

Like several youths everywhere, Sachin was not fortunate enough to complete high school. As much of a challenge as this was for a young Sachin, he decided to follow in his parents’ footsteps, and he is today one of Laluni’s most successful agricultural pioneers. He told the Pepperpot Magazine, “I never really got to complete secondary school, but I have made a life for myself. I have a wife and a four-year-old son. Growing up in Laluni is nice; it is quiet and full of friendly people.”

Perhaps one of the reasons it is so vibrant in the community is due to the availability of work. Sachin and countless other young men like himself express that finding work in Laluni is a challenge, and thus, they turn to the age-old craft of agriculture. “There are no jobs in Laluni, so everyone turns to farming, which is the main source of income for everybody,” said Sachin.
Despite the challenges Sachin and the young people of Laluni face in acquiring a job, they have directed their energies towards agriculture.

Sachin has learnt all he knows about agriculture from his parents. Sachin firmly believes that by building on the knowledge passed down from his parents and continued dedication, he will see new agricultural developments. He said, “Farming is a tough job, but whatever my parents teach me, I put forward, and, hopefully, one day, life will be much better.”

THE COMPLEXITIES OF AGRICULTURE
Some may look at farming and consider it easy at face value. Observing farming from the outside, crop cultivation could look as elementary as digging up the earth, placing seeds or saplings, and watering it in hopes that it becomes something more. However, there are far deeper issues and factors that need to be taken into consideration before a successful crop is reaped. During his agricultural journey, Sachin says that he faced a barrage of challenges with the health and productivity of his crops over the years.

These experiences were, at times, detrimental, but taught him what he needed to learn to become the farmer he is today. He shared, “To become a farmer, you have to have certain experiences. You have to know what to do, what to plant, which chemicals to use. To become a farmer is very challenging.”
As much as farming is the agricultural backbone of Laluni, community members do believe that there is space for development in other sectors. Sachin, for example, sees beyond Laluni’s agricultural gifts. He believes that Laluni has untouched potential. He shared, “If Laluni could have its processing plant; if we could process cherries, passion fruit, and carambola.” Communities with natural diversity and untapped potential, like Laluni, exist all around Guyana; it is up to the people to preserve them.