IN the open backlands of Mahaicony Branch Road on the East Coast Demerara, where rice fields stretch for miles, and narrow cattle trails wind through the grasslands, Charlene Nedd has built a life that quietly challenges long-standing assumptions about who can successfully manage a cattle farm.

For decades, cattle rearing in Guyana was viewed as a male-dominated occupation grounded in physical labour and inherited practice.

Yet at 56, Nedd demonstrates how knowledge, discipline, and access to modern agricultural systems are reshaping that narrative.

Today, she manages more than 50 head of cattle alongside her son, Darius Nedd, in Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), while balancing the responsibilities of family life as a mother and grandmother.

Her path into cattle farming began long before formal training programmes or structured support systems existed.

As a child, she followed her mother, Claudette Bernette, into the pastures to milk cows, guide them through grazing lands, and care for animals using little more than observation and instinct.

Their household reared chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, and goats, embedding in her an early understanding of animal husbandry.

When her mother passed away 19 years ago, the responsibility of maintaining the family’s livestock tradition fell naturally to her, but the environment in which she would continue that work had already begun to change.

Unlike in her mother’s era, before Guyana’s Independence in 1966, when livestock rearing relied on traditional methods, limited veterinary access, and informal knowledge transfer, Nedd now operates within a system supported by science, technology, and institutional guidance.

A defining shift came with the establishment of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) in 2010, which opened doors for farmers, particularly women, to access structured training, improved genetics, and extension services.

Through GLDA programmes, she strengthened her knowledge in disease surveillance, biosecurity, herd health management, and livestock traceability—practical skills that directly improved her day-to-day farm management.

For her, training is not in isolation but is a critical pillar of Guyana’s broader agri-food development strategy under the leadership of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

It supports the national agenda to modernise and expand the livestock sector while strengthening food safety systems, improving animal and public health outcomes, and expanding access to high-value regional and international markets.

Just recently, one significant training brought together more than 125 farmers and technical officers across Regions Three, Four, Five, and Six and was facilitated by Veteffects, led by internationally recognised veterinarian Dr Remco Schrijver, with technical support from GLDA’s Head Epidemiologist, Dr Randy Storm.

The programme focused on strengthening early detection and control systems for transboundary animal diseases, particularly Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis, equipping farmers with practical tools to monitor herd health and improve disease reporting.

For Nedd, these sessions translated directly into improved on-farm practices, stronger biosecurity routines, and more structured herd management.

This effort was supported by the Government of Guyana (GOG) and key partner, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), under the European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement, CARIFORUM, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Standby Facility, demonstrating a collaborative approach to strengthening Guyana’s agricultural landscape.

Nedd related that the training provided hands-on biosecurity practices on-site at a cattle farm and classroom sessions, making her better equipped to manage her own animals and farm.

For her, a stronger livestock sector means safer food, healthier animals, and expanded trade opportunities for Guyana, of which she is proud to contribute towards.

These initiatives, Nedd opined, are also aligned with Guyana’s commitment to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) “25 by 2025 + 5” initiative, which seeks to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 percent.

Through targeted investments in agricultural production, value-chain development, and institutional capacity building, Guyana continues to position itself as a competitive and reliable agri-food supplier within the Caribbean, with epidemiological surveillance serving as a foundational safeguard for sustaining growth and market confidence.

The transition from instinct-based care to science-informed management is most evident in her participation in GLDA’s national Artificial Insemination (AI) Programme.

Through AI, Nedd gained something her mother never had—control over the breed, quality, and future performance of her animals.

By using carefully selected semen, including from the Brahman breed, she is deliberately shaping a herd suited for efficient beef production, while also using sex-sorted semen to produce more female calves when needed.

This level of genetic control allows her to improve weight gain, hardiness, and meat quality without the expense of maintaining multiple pasture bulls.

As a result, she can focus her operation primarily on beef production using Brahman genetics, while maintaining a small dairy component to supply milk within her community.

At the same time, regular ambulatory veterinary support and nutritional guidance from the GLDA’s Region Five Extension team, headed by Dr Joel Dilchand, and Livestock Extension Officers Oudette Percival and Howard Jones, ensure her cattle receive timely care—another advantage that did not exist during her mother’s time.

These services reduce disease risk, improve productivity, and give her confidence that her herd is being managed in accordance with modern animal health standards.

Her involvement in the Mahaicony Cattle Farmers’ Association further illustrates how coordinated systems have replaced informal practices of the past.

Through communal pasture management, conflicts between cattle farmers and rice cultivators have been significantly reduced.

Organised grazing arrangements now protect both livestock and crops, demonstrating how structured land-use planning benefits entire farming communities.

Modern farming for Nedd also extends into the digital space. She welcomes the Ministry of Agriculture’s Farmers’ Connectivity Application “Farmers ConnectGY”, which is available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, placing essential agricultural services literally in the palm of farmers’ hands.

Through this application, farmers can quickly access critical information, submit support requests, receive real-time updates from agricultural agencies, and connect more efficiently with extension officers and technical services, without the delays associated with traditional in-person processes.

For Nedd, this represents a practical shift towards convenience, responsiveness, and improved farm management.

She also values GLDA’s livestock traceability system, which records herd data for disease monitoring, movement tracking, and emergency verification.

Together, these digital tools enhance transparency and strengthen decision-making on the farm.

They allow farmers like her to respond more quickly to animal health concerns, maintain accurate herd records, and access targeted veterinary assistance when needed.

These innovations, unimaginable in her mother’s time, now form an essential part of modern livestock management, improving efficiency, reducing risk, and supporting faster access to agricultural services and support systems across Guyana.

These improvements are part of Guyana’s wider agricultural modernisation agenda led by Mohamed Irfaan Ali and aligned with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) “25 by 2025 + 5” initiative.

Through regional partnerships and strengthened food safety systems, farmers like Nedd are contributing to a livestock sector that is not only more productive but increasingly export-ready.

Despite these advancements, the realities of cattle farming remain demanding. During rainy periods, her son rides their horse into the backlands to check on the herd; in better weather, he uses a motorcycle, and she often accompanies him.

Managing both home and farm requires constant attention, but for Nedd, it is a life defined by commitment and purpose.

The contrast between her mother’s era and her own is profound. Where her mother relied on experience and routine in a pre-independence agricultural landscape, Nedd now works within a structured system of training, veterinary care, improved genetics, organised grazing, and digital support.

These changes have transformed livestock keeping from a subsistence activity into a reliable source of income and financial independence.

Healthier cattle command better prices, improved breeding increases productivity, and access to technical guidance reduces losses.

Through this evolution, Charlene Nedd is not simply continuing a family tradition; she is elevating it.

Her story mirrors the transformation of Guyana’s livestock sector from experience-based survival farming to knowledge-driven, technology-enabled agribusiness.

In doing so, she demonstrates that success in modern agriculture is defined not by gender or physical strength, but by access to knowledge, adaptability, and the willingness to embrace change for a better quality of life.