The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is to build semi-greenhouses at Black Bush Polder, Berbice and Bartica in Region Seven by the end of the year.
NARI’s Director, Dr. Oudho Homenauth has said that these structures could be used to produce more exotic crops such as pepper, tomato, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower and they also help to keep diseases at a minimum, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
A semi-green house or shade cultivation as it is popularly named is a modernized way of improving plant production by using a covering over the crops. This type of cultivation provides protection from the direct effects of the sun and rain.
Dr Homenauth explained that a mesh surrounds the crops but it is open at one end to encourage pollination. The mesh would allow only a certain amount of water to get to the plants and in some cases plastic is used to keep out water.
He added that under shade house conditions, farmers could get approximately 10 kg of produce per square metre and the return from an investment could be received in a short time.
The Guyana School of Agriculture at Anna Regina would be starting these practices and farmer’s groups from Affiance and Region 10 are also involved in such activities.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud recently visited a semi-greenhouse in Timehri and said such activities would attract the support of the ministry since the technology would improve the agricultural sector. Technical support would also be given to farmers who are involved in this type of farming, he said.
Meanwhile, the private entity Neal and Massy would be embarking on greenhouse cultivation at its demonstration farm and training facility at Mon Repos, GINA added.
