NAREI developing weather-resistant vegetable plants

Researchers and agricultural scientists at the newly-restructured National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) are currently working to develop new weather-resistant plants for crops such as peppers, boulangers, tomatoes, and others.

The ongoing work fits into the country’s overall efforts to help the agricultural sector adapt to climate change. According to researchers, they are looking at plants that could tolerate extreme heat and heavy rains, as these have been the recent weather patterns experienced in Guyana.

The institute, in recent years, introduced various farming technologies, such as ‘drip-irrigation’ and tropical green/shade houses, to help producers grow food all year round, regardless of the weather conditions. However, according to the agriculturalists, although some farmers are using the technologies, the ideas have not caught on as widespread as was intended to actually influence national food production.

Some farmers, believing the technologies are too costly, are unwilling to invest in their use. Just last year, NAREI established three additional greenhouses, at Mon Repos, Kairuni and Lesbeholden, at a cost of Gy$2.5 million in collaboration with the Humanity Aid Programme. These are serving as demonstration/ training facilities for farmers.

The agriculturalists explained, also, that Guyanese farmers are averse to changing their traditional farming practices and techniques, even though what they have been practising for years is costing them more to produce their crops. The technical officers also see a need for producers to understand pests and diseases that affect their crops, and explore new techniques that would help them to produce better crops less expensively.

At present, NAREI, under its extension programme, is seeking to train some 8,000 farmers countrywide in a range of disciplines. Already 1,500 producers have been trained, and are now practising in the fields what they have been taught.

NAREI, formerly NARI, has since been re-established to incorporate extension and research activities, only for crops. Responsibilities for livestock development, previously held by the institute, has been transferred to the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA).

Some of the other activities that NAREI is spearheading include revitalisation of the coconut industry, whereby the institute has already been engaged in improving the agronomy of coconuts and advising farmers on management practices to improve production and productivity.

The institute is also working to expand spice production, especially in hinterland communities, where there are 35 farmers in Region One currently involved in ginger, turmeric, black pepper and nutmeg cultivation. Another major project involves studies on the use of cassava as an ingredient in poultry feed that incorporates 5-10 per cent cassava flour. Additional studies are being conducted using cassava as the main ingredient in urea blocks as supplemental feed for cattle. This is intended to replace urea-molasses blocks, especially for use in hinterland communities.

NAREI also lends support to hinterland farmers in areas such as Mainstay/Whyaka, Moco-Moco, St Ignatius, Shulinab, Karasabai, Toka, Aranaputa and Annai.