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Agri-processing units-the way to go

Oct 02, 2023 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Kaieteur News – I take note that an agro-processing facility was recently commissioned at Charity, and instantly I was happily jolted. For too long agricultural farming products have been needlessly wasted in Guyana. And I am talking ‘way too much wastage.’

First let me remind Guyanese that contemporary food science now allows us to understand how and why foods lose quality during normal storage; for sure, they spoil just too quickly. However, with modern agro-processing facilities, we can select conditions that greatly extend storage times while maintaining freshness.

For example, across North America, apples are typically harvested over a two- or three-month period yet are available all year-round. This is because once apples are harvested , they can be rapidly transferred into controlled atmosphere storage that slows their respiration, and hence ripening, to allow them to be kept for up to 12 months until ready for use.

Another positive to be mindful of is that food processing allows us to eat a greater variety of foods than our ancestors. Because we can safely preserve and package foods, we are able to transport foods from across the globe to our homes. We are not restricted to what is produced locally nor to seasonality, greatly extending food availability and accessibility for the great majority that live in urban environments. Increased choice allows us to have a more varied diet, which is more likely to provide all the nutrients required for good health. As you can gather, I was pleased to see the shot of packaged carambola.

Editor, commendations are therefore in order for this Charity facility that was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council through the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC). It means “Over 300 persons, including farmers, agro- processors, women, youth, and other stakeholders, will benefit immensely. The cost ran-up a bill of  $28.3 million, but the investment is most needed and will pay great dividends in the near future.

Lest we think Guyana is parochialized, I point out that the World Resources Institute (WRI) reports that a 25 percent reduction in food waste would push food production 12 percent closer to the levels necessary to feed the world in 2050 and would shrink the amount of increased agricultural land needed by 27 percent, inching closer to fully closing the land gap. This is a positive double whammy! Remember I did mention the wanton waste that must be stopped.

Since we will we will need to produce as much as 56% more food than we did in 2010 to feed the world’s growing population by 2050, we indeed cannot rely on ancient and traditional farming and production practices. Those by themselves are deleterious to and could be catastrophic for the planet. So how will we meet the demand? I just gave the answer; here it is again: many more agri-processing units.

YOURS TRULY ,

HB Singh

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