Keeping Agri in Focus-USAID to assist Guyana in cultivation, production of turmeric, coconut, cherries

Nov 12, 2023 Letters

---

Dear Editor,

Concerning the good news that “USAID (is) to assist Guyana in cultivation, production of turmeric, coconut, (and) cherries,” I am compelled to make a few comments, as I think this is something quite huge.

First, I want this to sink in. I speak here of the reality that close to one billion people around the world continue to suffer from chronic food insecurity. Also, global demand for food is expected to increase dramatically, while the growing world population and climate change are already negatively affecting farming practices and productivity. In others words, not only trends in agriculture must change; they must do in in quick time.

In this vein, it is good that “… Guyanese farmers (are) set to benefit from specialized technical assistance, under a $5.3 million Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity (CAPA) project (that is) being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).”  As for the USAID organization, Guyana, in this project, is again under expert guidance and tested leadership.

As most are aware, the USAID is top-notched. It has been working assiduously for years to foster agricultural investments in various countries, seeking to make them sustainable and country-led. Specifically, USAID is supporting agricultural capacity development on farms and in the private sector, producer organizations, research and extension institutions, government agencies, rural financial institutions, and civil society. Its thrust is all about capacity development programs to support a process of change in which people, organizations, and societies can improve their performance over time. These programs, over time, create, strengthen, and maintain capacity in critical areas ranging from agricultural research and policy analysis to essential skills needed to create and run farmer associations and agribusinesses.

Secondly, I revisit the last National Budget, in which Dr. Ashni Singh, Head of the Finance Ministry, did emphasize that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government “… is aiming to expend G$2 billion on four food security projects that will serve as a barometer for measuring the success of the agriculture sector this year. These are the establishment of a regional security hub, the creation of an enhanced capability to harness greater use of science, technology and research to help promote innovation and product development and the promotion of hinterland agriculture for food security and self-sufficiency and to meet market needs “beyond the local community.” Thus, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha was right on target when he recently met with a team from the USAID agency to discuss priority areas.

Let us remember, as Minister Mustapha noted, that plenty has been done over the recent past to assist farmers, and that the outcomes have indicated that both Guyana and the Caribbean are moving in the right direction. After all, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, did charge the Guyana President, Irfaan Ali, during his recent trip to Barbados for the country’s agro-fest, “… to lead a campaign to encourage people to change their consumption patterns.”

On that occasion, she charged that “… we need a CARICOM stamp of food and CARICOM produce so that we can run a regional campaign where Caribbean people can say ‘I want to buy Caribbean food even if it costs me 10 cents more or 50 cents more because I know my money is now going to keep our societies safer, or our societies more stable’.”

So, all of this is inline, Minister Mustapha explained Guyana’s plan to commence construction of a food terminal before the end of 2023 as the government gears up to make Guyana a regional food distributor.

“We have a lot of room to collaborate, and I know USAID has been a valuable partner over the years. We are seeing a lot of positive results from what we started when we took office in 2020.” He detailed that “We are on the verge of starting our food terminal, so that we can be a food distributor for the Caribbean. I have the technical people working, and we are looking to get that project started before the year is out, because we have a lot in place already. So, overall, I think we are moving in the right direction in the Caribbean in terms of the 25 by 2025 Initiative.,”

On the part of USAID, Programme Director for IESC’s USAID Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity (CAPA), Sandiford Edwards informed Minister Mustapha that the upcoming programme cycle for USAID’s CAPA is scheduled to commence sometime in January. He also said that through consultations with agencies like the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the local Private Sector, and farmers, they were able to identify three target commodities for support.

What are these?

First there is turmeric, “… as the government has invested in a major plant in Region One. So, in discussion, we agreed that turmeric is an area where we are going to provide some support in terms of working with the farmers.”

Then there is coconut, as USAID pointed out that it is recognizing that this is the third most exported produce from Guyana.  And finally, it has looked at cherries and how we can work with farmers to access resources.

My final word is that we can be optimistic. USAID did meet with some of the large producers, and noted that there is a gap in supply where we can support farmers to expand production.

“We are in deep discussion with the GBTI to look at the staff capacity building in agricultural lending to see how we can support them with specialized agriculture loan products. The project will also work with input suppliers.” Guyana naturally has these three crops in abundance; it is time to forge ahead.

Yours truly,

HB Singh

---

• cherries, coconut, cultivation, Guyana, HB Singh., turmeric

---