- over ‘pipe dream’ statement on Guyana’s food production capacity
Minister Robert Persaud said yesterday that the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) official who referred to Guyana’s ability to produce food for the Caribbean as pipe dream, should not disregard facts and figures about Guyana’s capability and avoid embarrassment.
The agriculture minister stressed that the administration has invested heavily to develop Guyana’s capacity as a major producer and exporter of food.
According to a Barbados Nation report published online yesterday, while speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the BAS headquarters in St Michael, BAS CEO James Paul said that the notion that Guyana can feed the Caribbean is nothing more than a ridiculous pipe dream.
Robert Persaud
Paul said that it came down to a matter of what could be grown where. “We have to be practical,” he was quoted as saying. “These things sound nice, but let us admit Guyana’s soils are not equipped to produce every single food item.”
He said he believed Guyana can produce strategic foods which can benefit that country such as cassava for animal feed. In addition, Paul said, Barbados’s soils were ideal for crops such as watermelons and carrots which he said had “excellent taste profiles” but it was a pipe dream to think one place could feed everyone adequately.
“You don’t want a situation of putting all your eggs into one basket. I think that would be ridiculous. Most agriculturalists would tell you that agricultural production in Guyana is confined to the alluvial belt, which is mostly along the coast,” Paul said. He added that as one goes inland within Guyana; the soils are less fertile, noting that the cost of production would increase as a result.
Responding to the report, Persaud said that most of the local agricultural production comes from a narrow coastal strip where a large part of the population resides.
But he said there still remained thousands of acres of fertile land in addition to the vast amounts of coastal lands which can be developed such as the Canje basin. He said that contrary to Paul’s assertion, there are many areas of the hinterland comprising thousands of acres that consist of class 1 soils excellent for fruits and vegetables.
Persaud also stated that the sparsely populated Rupununi and intermediate savannahs, comprising millions of acres are suitable for certain crops, as Brazil with similar conditions has realized, but need to be carefully managed.
Under the Low Carbon Development Strategy, he said, the administration will look at deploying resources to develop infrastructure and access these “new” agricultural land for food and fuel production.
Paul stated that another factor influencing agriculture production was the worldwide concern about the reduction of farmland and with the world’s population increasing, there would be an increased demand for food, noting that the improvements in technology are not keeping pace with the need to improve productivity.
Persaud said government has invested heavily to develop Guyana’s capacity as a major producer and exporter of food. The minister stated that some of these areas includes massive investment in drainage and irrigation of agricultural lands, export facilities in accordance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards, research and technology to increase the variety of agricultural commodities and diversity within the agricultural production system.
To this effect, he noted, the Ministry of Agriculture is currently implementing a US$21.9 million Agricultural Export Diversification Programme and a US$7 million Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Development Pro-gramme.
In addition, Persaud said, a US$20 million Agricultural Support Services Programme and a US$5 million Conservancy Adaptation Project are all part of the administration’s investment within the agriculture sector to enhance efficiency, productivity and competitiveness of traditional and non-traditional agriculture.
He said these and other plans by the Ministry of Agriculture are to ensure that Guyana maintains its food secure status and takes advantage of the opportunities of the global food crisis. Further, the minister said, government is reviewing one dozen proposals for agro-energy/bio-fuels production of 250,000 acres of land, while another 125,000 acres is available for investment in livestock, other crops and agro-processing.
Persaud said that Paul is a respected Caribbean agriculturist who has earned many friends in Guyana.
He said the Barbadian official has visited the Guyana on several occasions, attending a range of meetings and is greatly admired for his courageous positions and enlightened statements as an agriculturist.
However, his recent pronouncements “are surprising to say the least”, Persaud said noting that since Paul’s interactions with Guyanese soil scientists such as Professor Nyron Ahmad, Dr Frank Gumbs and Dr Leslie Simpson and others would have contributed toward his understanding of the great potential Guyana has for agricultural production.
The agriculture minister said he could only surmise that when Paul spoke, “he had neglected to take off his hat as a relatively new parliamentarian representing the now ruling Democratic Labour Party”.
However he said, Paul’s enthusiasm as a politician exhorting his constituency to work towards greater production and food security, “is understandable among all of us politicians”.
Persaud also listed some 73 fresh and some 54 processed items which Guyana has produced and exported over the past four years, including avocado, awara, bora, breadfruit, achar, cassava starch, coconut oil, plantain flour, seasonings and spices.
He said the abundance of fresh water supply cannot be questioned since the Ministry of Agriculture is moving to improve water management. He said that the aforementioned are a few facts Paul should contemplate and be reassured that Guyana is “poised to be the breadbasket of the Caribbean”.
“Loads”of talk about production of food,in 83,000 square miles Guyana,Land of many waters.More action from you Mr Minister.Too much dependence on Sugar and Rice.More fruits and vegetables,more dairy farming,chicken,beef,lamb,milk,eggs and fish.Too much importation of products that can be produced locally.Less talk,more action!!!
BT …..the PPP Government have to import if they don’t the PPP party brokup yu hear. Let potata, and split peas stop coming and you will see what will happen…..the Barbados Government is right do you know where most of the Graduates with Agri Degree from UG and Monrepo hanging out now? In Barbadoa and Jamaica go there ana you will see them.
This PPP Government is hot air and nothing more.
Mr. Persaud cannot blame Mr.Paul for saying what he said because Guyana is ruled by “MEN OF WORDS AND NOT OF DEEDS” That is why Guyana has become a garden full of (BAD and POISONOUS)WEEDS.
Speaking of the Canje Basin. Did Mr.Persaud do his HOME WORK? There is more than enough space for organic products in the Canje Basin.and other counties of Guyana.Mr.Paul does not seem to have any idea of how Rich the soils of Guyana are, specially the hinderlands.
Mr.Persaud should get down to every district in every county and get to know the locals,assist and enceourge them to start their Coöp.The older/unemployed/pensioners can act as village fathers to guide the and unemployed towards these developements,KEEP THE YOUTH OCCUPIED.Educate them in a way that they would know “TO WORK WITH THE HANDS DOES NOT LOWER A MAN BUT MAKES HIM A BETTER MAN” there could be ALL-YEAR-ROUND employment in this sector, for eg.fishing can take place while the crops are growing,beds have to be weeded and the maintance of the drainage and irregation,while some one relaible takes care of the administration.This is how the older generation who hardly knew how to read and write provided for big families and got rich. why it it so impossible to be realized in this modern time
Robert Persaud you have the gall! Don’t attack Barbados, prove them wrong by growing more foods, getting it exported and keep Guyanese from running to the island to live illegally!
STABROEK,.. YOUR’E UP TO YOUR USUAL TRICKS,.. .INITIATING CONFLICT,.. WHERE THERE IS NONE,.. A LONG “NONE ISSUE” ARTICLE,.. NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID BY THE TWO GENTLEMEN, FUNDAMENTALY,.. MAKES THE OTHER A LIAR… IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MR. PAUL WAS COMMENTING IN ABSOLUTE TERMS,.. WHILE MIN. PERSAUD WAS REFERRING TO OUR POTENTIAL…. SN,.. IS MR. TROTMAN part of your editorial STAFF?… JUST CURIOUS….
I would like to meet Mr James Paul and tell him some home truths about Guyana’s Agricultural abilities which might shock him. I am sure that he is not aware that Guyana has the ability to produce English Potatoes, Onions, Garlic, Apples and lots of other food items in VERY LARGE QUANTITIES for export. These items were actually produced during the 1970’s -80’s during the office of the PNC by GUYSUCO it’s a pity that they had stopped doing so.
My gran-mother’s (our) kitchen graden had red and green peppers (paprika) raddish,english tomatoes,butter beans, you name it.Guyana has become from a BREAD-BASKET to EYE-PASS. Jagdeo!!!!hu-much mo cuss,shame,disgrace and eye-pass Guyanese have to face?
ps. LIKE NO-BADIE AINT MISS MICHEAL?///Micheal yu doin dee TENASSY-WALZ FU TOO LANG NOW ….A MIS YU
….hi aunty ! thanks for ur thoughts of me ,,, as hot as it is here with humidity much like GY ,, u have made me very warm ! and no ,, i have not met any females here who can dance the “Tennesse” waltz ,, tho ,, they certainly can get ‘down’ to disco ,, which i’m making the most of ! i live for dancin … it’s 1 of the top 5 cardios i know ,, besides ,, they say “dancing is a vertical expression ,, that is conducive to a horizontal desire” ,,, but now to address dis bajan wid 2 fuss name ,, which i have always found wid nuff like dis wan ,, who usually gat wan prablem with coordination of synapses ! ,, Gy has always bin feedin dem ,, and by gawd we will continu to ! i am warning dem bajan ,, to stop attackin GUYANESE even if dem deh in bajan ,, cazif dem was nat suh damn lazy an nat worth a pint of parrot p*$$ we would nat have cause fuh dehpon de rock in de middle ah de atlantic ,, as fuh dem wah deh all abt in adah people countrie ,, and wid dem white mouth cussin de govt ,, they must realise dat dem gat de opportunity fuh duh dis ,, bcaz de pnc is dyin and will soon be dead ,,
dem ah pelt stone an dem wife ah tek aff sheh clothes in de glass house weh dem ah live ! but fum land time we know dem nah gat shame !
i am goin to be very pelucid here ! any cussin of de GUVAMENT of GUYANA should be left to us who PUT dem there ! I will demoralise dem beyond de limit ,, an in de same breath ,, defend dem ,, and yes i know dat is becaz of dem utter stupidity ,, visionless mediocrity,, an mo dat dem deserve it ,, but nat fum dem dat is responsible in de fuss place fuh what obtains in GUYANA to day ! ah tink dem know by now dat my dictum is brutally blunt an at times very abrasive ,, an fuh which ,, i make no apology ! ah know dem wah know fuh read can andahstan wah meh ah seh haysuh ! bye ,,, tante…..
The Caribean Islands are the last ones to tell Guyana about agriculture.Small islands small minds, thus stupid, incredibly foolish comments.Guyana does not have to worry about these crappy little islands to be used as stepping stones.You will of course have the usual misinformed overseas dunces who have nothing good to say about the people of Guyana.You will know them by their imbecilic comments.
The Hon Minister is in order here. He has most of the resources in place to fundamentally dynamically shift Guyana’s agricultural drive. It was heeartenting to see the Technical Services Contract signed under the Agriculural Diversification Project. Guyana will now have the ability to technically who what it can do agriculturally and thus be able to better guide the farmers.
Barbados can go to hell, they prefer to import food from far away as Thailand and Hawaii but have an fetish of dissing Guyana agricultural capacity. We can feed them and all their visitors 10 times over, it is just a matter of time.
The Ministry of Agriculture Team is on the right track, it is just a matter of time now and remaining focus on the task at hand. Minister Robert has provided good leadership to the agricultural diversification drive and he should bee commended for it.
Persaud has to get the country to deliver quality food and export capabilities to meet the requirements of their customers rather than cussing out this person and that person.
when Persaud can demonstrate that he can then get on his high horse.
Mr CSingh. I know Barbados and Bajans well. Both u and Robert MBA are dreaming. Guyana has been talking about agriculture for a long time, to date, Trinidad and Jamaica export more agri products than Guyana. Hot peppers are exported in huge amounts.It is a shame to see the condition of Guyana compared to the little islands.I enjoyed pineapples from Thailand in B’dos. Guyana is yet to understand how to do things to suit discerning buyers. One big supermarket chain showed me the rice they got from Guyana, they dumped the container load. Basic things are not known in Guyana and those in authority are not better off.