NARI’s research capacity is weak - Agri Minister

NARI’s research capacity is weak – Agri Minister

Oct 13, 2009 News

A section of the gathering at the research conference.

At a time when much research is needed in Guyana to deal with the effects of Climate Change, the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is cited to be very weak in its research and development capacity.
This was pointed out by Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, during his remarks at the opening ceremony of NARI’s two-day annual research conference, which commenced yesterday at the Guyana School of Agriculture, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
The conference is being held under the theme, “Agricultural Production in a Changing Climate – Towards Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions.”
According to Minister Persaud, NARI is currently experiencing institutional weaknesses in the research and development capacity.
He explained that over the last three years, the research institute has expended approximately $720 million, but only 30 per cent is invested in research and development. The remaining 70 per cent goes to employment costs.
“We would not be able to move forward and to develop the intelligent agriculture if we have our research and development arm expending 70 per cent of its resources on employment cost and a mere 30 per cent on research and development. What are we here for? Are we an employment agency or are we a research and development agency for the agriculture sector?
Persaud also noted that NARI is not equipped with the right caliber and complement of skills to get the job done.
“NARI, today, is weak in terms of its capacity in the number of senior research specialists. We have to focus in getting the caliber and the numbers of staffing…the technical researchers so that we can deliver the goods (research).”
It was explained that Guyana has a lot of projects depending on effective research and development, but according to the Agriculture Minister, NARI’s research will always be limited due to the resources that exist.
He added that as a developing country, Guyana will not be able to invest huge sums on research.
“But if we are going to succeed, then our research and development efforts must step up. And our research and development at this level cannot deliver and cannot bring that type of support we need to make that long term vision of creating a diversified agricultural sector and that is why we have to focus on the capacity and how it is we will be able to deliver research and development.”
In the coming months, NARI would be fitted with much more responsibilities, since Persaud’s Ministry is currently in the process of creating two semi autonomous entities within the Agriculture Ministry.
These entities include the Guyana Livestock Development Authority and a department to deal with Crops and Plant Health. The latter department will fall into NARI’s activities.
Minister Persaud noted that at a time when the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is being discussed, NARI will be called on to step up its works.
“The LCDS and its impact to agriculture, both in terms of the adjustments we have to make and in terms of the new activities we have to take…NARI will be a critical agent in terms of bringing about those changes, but also in terms of delivering those support that we need, if we are going to fully gear to be that model of building an agricultural sector within a low carbon path.”
Meanwhile, at it relates to the research conference, Persaud urged the participants to see the conference focusing on the opportunities rather than the problems that climate change presents.
“That has to be the thinking, because we will go nowhere and we will achieve little if we bemoan and distress the fact that climate change will, as it has here and continues to have a debilitating and a high cost on our national activity, more so agriculture.”
The conference is expected to give much more substance to research and development works in Guyana, having recognised the threats.
Director of NARI, Dr. Odhu Homenauth, told the gathering that despite technological advancements, climate is still a key factor in agricultural productivity, as the changing patterns of climate can potentially have severe impacts on agricultural productivity.
According to Dr. Homenauth, experts have agreed that climate change impacts agriculture through potential variations in temperature regimes.
He explained that these regimes can alter yield patterns and cause increase crop damages, soil erosion and land degradation.
It was also noted that the government’s response to climate change and agriculture, needs to include not only the development of new technologies, water management systems and farm practices, but also investment in infrastructure and the logistics to facilitate the development of these adaptive agricultural systems.
“This type of investment requires innovative policy directives that can foster adaptation to climate change,” Dr. Homenauth said.
The intention of the conference is for all the participants to become familiar with Climate Change related activities being undertaken and to be able to identify and propose other activities or interventions that can be embarked upon.