AGRICULTURE is much more than the growing of food. It is also an integral part of our culture. This combination of agriculture and culture is now becoming a major enterprise globally linking people with farming communities and in the process contributing to sustainable livelihoods of farmers.
Guyana’s tourism sector is growing rapidly. This is especially so within recent years as can be seen from the record number of tourist arrivals and the construction of several new international hotels.

And while it is true that we do not have the benefit of the three S’- Sun, Sea and Sand – to the extent available in other Caribbean countries, we do have other tourism products that are unique to Guyana. One such package are the elements associated with agriculture, namely agri-tourism.
Guyana has a rich and diverse agricultural history dating back to the early days of European colonisation. Much of that history has been lost over the decades. The same is true of the tools and other aspects of our early agricultural pursuits with particular reference to cotton, coffee and tobacco production, which over time, became subordinated to large scale sugar and rice cultivation.

Yet there are several elements of our agriculture that still remain and can be of value to those who have an interest in the evolution of agriculture in Guyana, especially in rice and sugar production.
There are many Guyanese both at home and abroad who never went into our agricultural backlands and experienced first-hand how sugar or rice is manufactured and the different processes involved in their production.
This is why the decision by the government to explore the feasibility of agri-tourism is commendable especially in the context of the lead role Guyana is playing in agriculture on the regional stage.

Once the breadbasket of the Caribbean, the agricultural sector was allowed to deteriorate due to the vindictive policies of the previous PNC regime. A significant number of farmers, especially in the rice sector were forced to abandon their lands and seek employment elsewhere.
Yet that culture of growing food remains strong and was given new and fresh impetus by the PPP/C administration. The agricultural sector is doing exceedingly well and is a major contributory factor to the non-oil growth trajectory.
Agri-tourism is defined as a type of tourism that involves visits to farms, agricultural-themed festivals and old plantations. Luckily, many of these still can be found on the sugar estates and in rice cultivation areas. It combines agriculture with tourism to promote sustainable tourism, support local agriculture and provide economic benefits to rural communities.

The potential of agri-tourism for sustainable livelihoods of farmers are enormous. With the expansion of the hospitality sector, it is now possible to link local farmers with hotels and restaurants. Additionally, it entails the use of tourist routes that combines the natural landscapes with the way of life of rural and hinterland communities.

The PPP/C administration must be commended for bringing back agriculture as the backbone of the economy and for integrating the sector within the larger national framework.
The feasibility studies done in several regions to assess the potential benefits of agriculture tourism to enhance the well-being of farmers is a step in the right direction and speaks to the ingenuity and creativity of the current administration in its quest to improve the cultural and economic well-being of our farmers and by extension the society as a whole.