GLDA continues to improve transparency and accountability

Dec 31, 2017 News

---

In the last few years, the management team at the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) aggressively initiated several activities in an effort to transform its monitoring, evaluation, and accounting processes.
The transformation, although still ongoing, has resulted in GLDA being repositioned to improve programme planning and budgeting in 2018 and future years. This was reflected in its 2018 annual work programme and budget which showcased the progress GLDA has made to date in improving transparency and accountability.
In fact, GLDA’s work programme notes that the revenue from operations declined by 19% in 2015 but increased by 124% in 2016. It was projected to increase by36% in 2017 but was revised downward by 2%. It is however, projected to increase by10% in 2018 and thereafter by10% until 2021.
Based on the verified data available at GLDA, it is expected to provide support services to 10,514 beneficiaries.
At least 822 commercial livestock producers are anticipated to access genetic support services; 6,086 core and commercial livestock producers are likely to access advisory services; 90 livestock producers, importers and exporters are expected to access veterinary laboratory services and 189 butchers are expected to access regulatory slaughter services.
Approximately, 80 Extension/Veterinary Field Agents are anticipated to provide 23,572 inventions to facilitate the beneficiaries stated.
LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY
According to GLDA, the projected growth of 50% in 2018 is directly related to the activities associated with improving the reliability of the livestock product statistics, building and strengthening the organizational capacity of new and established associations and collaborating with stakeholders to address food and nutrition, disaster risk management, climate resilience and adaptation, and green economy strategies of the agency.
The Authority noted that beef production contracted by 1% in 2016 and was projected to contract by 1% in 2017 but was revised to increase by 19%. Milk production contracted by 20% in 2016 and was projected to increase by 11% in 2017 but was revised to contract by 1%.
Mutton production was projected to grow by 23% in 2017 but was revised to grow by 11%. Pork production is projected to contract by 1% in 2017 but was revised to grow by 17%.
Additionally, the Ministry of Communities provided the resources for the National Swine Producers’ Association to boast production, and GLDA provided the technical support needed to make the project a success. The success of the project may be one of the main factors contributing to the growth recorded.
With regard to Poultry meat production, this grew by 5% in 2016 and was projected to grow by 10% in 2017 but was revised to 13%. The projected negative growth in the duck industry and the higher level of smuggled chickens are the main causes for the reduction of the local production.
HATCHERY
The continued growth in duckling production is unpredictable in the local market. In the first half of 2017, GLDA noted that total duckling production contracted by 6% as compared to the same period in 2016.
In addition, the local duckling producers accessing the hatchery support services at subsidized price increased by 36%, while the local duck producers accessing F1 breeding stock at subsidized price decreased by 20%.
For 2018, GLDA noted that the duck production support services will focus on improving the research and technical capacity of the technical officers by conducting applied research trials and developing tech-packs. The new and improved tech-packs will be transferred via results and method demonstrations, webinar and workshops, technical guidance and exchange visits to strengthen and build the productive capacity of the established and new or emerging producers.
Another vital focus is securing and sustaining the high-quality parent stock at GLDA’s duck farm and core breeders. In this regard, GLDA said that the main aim of these approaches is to improve the efficiency of the production systems. The key performance indicators, hen day, incubation rate, fertility, hatchability and efficiency are expected to increase.
It is predicted that increasing the efficiency should result in a decline in prices, which will boost local consumption by 5%.
In order to further boost local consumption, GLDA will be partnering with the key hotels and restaurants, and Carnegie School of Home Economics, to develop an aggressive public campaign to make the public become more aware of the other menus available for preparing duck meat and the benefit of using duck meat.
With improving efficiency, GLDA will concentrate on certifying the production systems according to ISO22000 standards, to facilitate import substitution, while at the same time focusing on export to regional markets.
GLDA is projecting to gain certification by end of 2018. The certification process will be extended to the established duckling producers and later to the new and emerging ones. By 2021, it is envisaged that GLDA will foster Public Private Partnership to establish a certified processing and package facility for export of frozen duck meat to regional markets. Furthermore, to become more competitive, GLDA has said that it will explore the possibility of using crop residues as livestock feed.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), post-harvest loss in Guyana is approximately 30% and given annual production of 205,433 tons, it is possible to reduce the feed cost which is approximately 60% of the overall cost.
GLDA said that this strategy is in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing the global food loss index and will limit the foreign exchange needed to import ingredients for livestock feed.
To this end, GLDA said it will encourage the duck producers to establish a National Duck Producers’ Association in 2018 to facilitate the Public Private Partnership.
Of the developing livestock industries, GLDA said that the duck industry possesses the greatest potential to be vibrant, creating good life for resource poor households and better life for new, emerging and established local producers.

---

---