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IICA awards Guyanese farmer Rosamund Benn
…for commitment to food security, empowering rural women
Kaieteur News – Rosamund Benn, a Guyanese farmer, who has been a driving force in empowering rural women to enhance their livelihoods through crop processing and marketing, has been bestowed the prestigious title of “Leader of Rurality of the Americas” by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Guyanese farmer, Rosamund Benn
The “Leader of Rurality of the Americas” award, presented by IICA, holds a distinctive significance. It not only acknowledges individuals who guarantee food security and biodiversity preservation through their agricultural efforts but also serves as an inspiration for rural development across the region.
In recognition of her remarkable contributions, Benn will be presented with the esteemed “Soul of Rurality” award. This accolade is part of a noteworthy initiative by the IICA, a specialized agency focused on rural and agricultural development. The initiative aims to honor individuals who are making a profound impact in the rural landscapes of the Americas, a region that holds significant importance for global food security, nutritional well-being, and environmental sustainability.
As the President of the Women Agro-processors Development Network (WADNET) in Guyana, Rosamund Benn has played a pivotal role in offering vital support to rural women, helping them overcome the myriad challenges they face on a daily basis.
In sharing Benn’s journey, the IICA noted that her endeavours are deeply rooted in her upbringing in one of Guyana’s hinterland communities, situated in the forested areas beyond the coastal plains.
When she met her husband, she moved to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) known for its large rivers and its fruit farms, which primarily grow coconuts. “I come from a farming family, but production in the hinterland is completely different from that on the coast,” she recounted.
With nearly four decades of farming, she and her husband transformed their initial 5-acre land into a sprawling 50-acre expanse, primarily focused on large-scale coconut cultivation.
According to the IICA, in a country heavily reliant on water transport for food distribution, the effects of climate change, such as heightened floods and droughts, have posed formidable obstacles for Benn and her farming. Nonetheless, her unwavering commitment to farming and sustainable practices shined through.
A display of some of Benn’s Pomeroon Rose products
Collaborating with her husband Rudolph, she embarked on producing virgin coconut oil in the 1990s. This labour-intensive process involves manual extraction and grating of coconuts to create a high-quality product with medicinal attributes. Marketed under the brand name “Pomeroon Rose,” their virgin coconut oil has gained prominence, reaching consumers through wholesalers and businesses across the country.
However, the path of coconut farming is not without its trials. It is said that coconuts thrive in rainy seasons but demand substantial time to grow during dry periods. The changing climate patterns, characterized by extreme weather events, have significantly impacted farming in Guyana. In 2021, devastating floods wreaked havoc on farms, leading to widespread losses of crops and triggering a national disaster response.
Through the challenges, Rosamund Benn remains steadfast in her dedication to both farming and the empowerment of women in agriculture. The organization was keen to note that her involvement with the Women Agro-processors Development Network (WADNET), established in 2012, has proven instrumental in fostering collective problem-solving and camaraderie among female farmers.
Recognising the additional barriers faced by women, including limited land ownership and credit access, Benn has emphasised the pivotal role of sharing experiences and knowledge-sharing. She underscored the importance of passing down agricultural wisdom to the youth and nurturing the connection between generations to ensure the continuity of farming as a way of life and a vital contributor to humanity’s future.
- distinctive, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Leader of Rurality of the Americas, Rosamund Benn, Women Agro-processors Development Network
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