The introduction new crops will help Guyana to become self-sufficient

Mar 16, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

I was delighted to learn of the recent onion trial that was conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture through its National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute. Based on a social media post on the Ministry’s Facebook page, the small plot yielded a very bountiful harvest with well-sized onions, something we do not often see in the markets.

If this project expands and is given the attention and resources it needs, indeed, it will be a game changer for Guyana. A lot of money is expended annually to purchase onions as it is used by almost every Guyanese for many reasons. Many of the meals we prepare daily have onions as a base and if the Ministry can make this a thriving industry that can also develop into an export commodity then Guyana will once again prove itself as the lead on agriculture in the region.

Apart from what commercial production can do for the economy, this undertaking also demonstrates the vision and the exquisite leadership of the President and the Minister of Agriculture. I must openly commend the Ministry and NAREI for the work put into getting this project up and running. While some people might not focus on what this means for us as a nation, I wish to emphasize that the introduction new crops will further help Guyana to become self-sufficient and a producer of more of what it consumes. This also opens the doors for more youths to be involved as young people tend to have an interest in newer industries.

I watch with great optimism as this undertaking moves from being just a project to a thriving and economically feasible industry.

Yours sincerely,

Ron McKenzie

Guyana, introduction, Ministry of Agriculture, National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute, Ron McKenzie

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