Agriculture diversification is now being adopted and practised in several Amerindian communities in sync with government’s policy to ensure that Guyana remains food secure.
Tomatoes being grown on the farm
On Thursday, April 14th, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai and USAID Mission Director Carol Horning, accompanied by officers of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry and other representatives of USAID, visited one of those projects operating under the Guyana Trade and Investment Support Programme (GTISP) and supported by USAID. Minister Sukhai acknowledged the success of the project as a model that ensures both food security and agricultural expansion in a sustainable manner, since it not only involves agriculture for the community, but for export purposes, as there is a ready market for the products.
This, she said, will yield immediate benefits to the people of Hauraruni, Soesdyke, and other regions. Besides, the model is simple and cost effective, and would also appeal to young people as it promotes agriculture with a blend of technology, which involves the technique of drip irrigation.
Sukhai believes that, as long as the markets are guaranteed, projects in the agriculture sector will succeed. She is optimistic that this model of agriculture can be promoted in many communities, particularly those that have proposed agriculture projects in their development plans.
“This project is going to transform the village economy. I see it as laying the foundation for transforming the economy of the villages, which is mostly subsistence. It will also lead to the involvement of the resources that reside within the villages … there are productive activities that can be successful that will engage the human resource in the village in addition to raising income,” she said.
Government’s policy to advance and support agriculture diversification is supported by the Hauraruni project, which demonstrates that a small community can promote its own development and food security.
The USAID Mission Director Carol Horning also noted the success of the Hauraruni project, which has been in existence for just over one year.
The project has transformed the community from being a producer of only traditional crops into one that currently uses low cost, technologically- advanced methodologies to produce quality crops that are in high demand, Horning said. Horning is also convinced that agricultural diversification is a good way to promote economic growth and create jobs. And since Guyana has ideal conditions for agriculture, the country can supply the Caribbean with its agricultural exports.
Horning also hopes that the project will have a ripple effect, so that other villages would want to replicate its success. The farm currently produces butternut squash, onions, bora, cucumbers and sweet peppers.
Manager of the Hauraruni Project, Vivian Fredricks, said that in order to minimise mistakes, training is provided at every level of the project, and every employee of the farm has been trained in the correct and efficient use of the fertilizers, and also in the use of chemicals for pest and weed control on the farm. Training is provided by USAID Agribusiness Technical Leader Nir Dahan.
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