Without these improved practices, the rice industry’s long term future looks bleak

Mar 20, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

In 2008/2009, I undertook a project to work with GRDB’s Extension Division to improve rice fertilization in Guyana. This field project was sponsored by Fertilizer Corporation of America and was one component of the GRDB’s Six Point Program of improved practices.
The program was a tremendous success and the recent increases in rice production are clearly due to improvements in field practices, including fertilization, that were introduced to farmers. This success was due to the hard work of many people including Mr. Kuldip Ragnauth, Dr. Ed Pulver, Mr. Dave Christopherson and Mr. Beaufort Adams.
However the true heroes of this exercise were the outstanding GRDB Extension Officers and the hard working, progressive rice farmers. Success was also due to the scientific approach that was used.
Since 2012, BLT Enterprises provided farmers with over one thousand soil analyses and I produced customized fertilizer recommendations for every individual sample at no cost for my professional time. However it appears that the industry is beginning to move backwards. The scientific practice of selecting fertilizers based on soil analysis has been abandoned and the industry has reverted to the old system of “one size fits all”.
Fertilizers are being imported without any scientific basis and farmers now use whatever is available, not what they need. This is exactly the approach that caused the low production of the recent past. The recent increase in paddy bug infestation also suggests that farmers have abandoned the improved practices and reverted to traditional approaches.
Paddy bug is not a problem to be solved, it is something that has to be prevented. Dr. Pulver demonstrated clearly that the indiscriminate use of pesticides kills the predators that destroy paddy bug eggs resulting in increased infestation.
The common suggestion to use more and stronger pesticides is not the answer. It is clear that Guyana has to reintroduce the Six Point Program, including the proper selection of fertilizers based on soil testing, as is done in every high yielding region in the world. Without it, the industry’s long term future looks bleak.

Dr. Terrence Fullerton
Soil Scientist

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