Dear Editor,
As you are aware the issue of the disease affecting plantain and banana farmers in some communities, particularly in Regions 1, 2 and 3, has been in the news for some time through feature articles and letters to the editor. It is the Ministry of Agriculture’s hope that this letter will put to rest this matter.
The Crop Extension Services Division has extension officers stationed in all the regions of Guyana. These officers are responsible for providing technical support to farmers which includes choice of crops, crop rotation, land preparation techniques, soil and water management, and pest and disease management. As a result, these officers are required to visit farms and farmers, conduct training sessions either through specially organized seminars or on farms, and monitor the general state of crop production within their designated areas. As a result each officer will have a sound knowledge of the crops in his/her areas and their associated problems. Issues which these officers cannot resolve are referred to the senior officers within the division, or in the case of pests and diseases, the Plant Health Services Division or the National Agricultural Research Institute.
The Plant Health Services Division has responsibility for the conduct of surveys for pests and diseases, for quarantine inspection services at ports of entry, container terminals, pack houses, sawmills and privates premises, and the issuance of phytosanitary certificates.
The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is responsible for conducting research on crops, including developing management packages for pests and diseases, particularly new diseases and those of economic importance. Usually the issue investigated is either referred to the institute by the extension officers or directly by farmers. The divisions within the Crops and Livestock Department have a strong working relationship with NARI. This is necessary because an interdisciplinary approach is advisable in managing issues in crop production, including the management of pests and diseases.
Against this background, I wish to address the concerns raised by Mr Mervyn Williams in his letter published in SN on January 19 (‘Black Sigatoka was discovered to be a threat to the plantain, banana industries as early as 2005’).
Most crops have pests and diseases which can cause serious economic loss either through significant reduction in yields or damage to the product. These pests and diseases can either be already present in the country, in which case control measures must be developed and utilized, or in other countries, in which case strong quarantine measures have to be maintained at the ports of entry.
A few years ago extension officers and farmers in Region 1 reported that they were experiencing significant reduction in plantain and banana production due a disease problem. A team comprising officials from the Plant Health Services Division and NARI was dispatched to the region to investigate the issue. The team concluded that it was a fungal disease and recommended the use of a number of fungicides that were available on the market at the time. The farmers were also advised to rotate their crops and avoid returning to disease infected fields under two years. A series of training sessions were conducted with the farmers, particularly in the Mabaruma-Hosororo areas.
This approached worked at the time primarily for two reasons, firstly, chemicals were new to this particular fungal disease and it had not developed any resistance to the drugs, and secondly, because the use of crop rotation fitted into the custom of farmers in the region, that is shifting cultivation. It is important to note at that time the disease was not reported in any other area of Guyana.
By 2008 however farmers in Region 3 began complaining of similar problems with their plantain and banana cultivation. Officials from the ministry and NARI visited the farms and the recommendations outlined above were given. The control of the disease in Region 3 was limited because, firstly, plantain and banana cultivation was more intensive and the disease developed resistance to the drugs, and secondly, because farmers tended to monoculture and were not prepared to rotate with other crops in their fields. As a result over time the disease presence increased and the reduction in yields became progressively worse. Farmers were visited in areas such as Essequibo Islands, Essequibo River including Bonasika and East Bank Essequibo. There was even one case on the island of Wakenaam where a farmer verbally abused the visiting officers claiming that the problem was caused by an insect and he was treating it with insecticides. Farmers visited during this period included Tom Singh, Looknauth, Benjamin and Lesley Grimes, among others.
By mid 2009 NARI had arrived at the conclusion that the disease may be a Sigatoka and recommendations were made for the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN to be approached for assistance in identifying the disease. It should be noted that in agriculture, as in medicine, a pest or disease has to be confirmed by an internationally accredited laboratory, even in cases where the human and other resources are available locally.
However, before the FAO could address the request, the Inter-American Institute on Agriculture, invited a plant pathologist from Suriname. His conclusion was similar to those of the specialist at NARI and he also recommended that a confirmative diagnosis be done. Shortly after his visit, the FAO sent a highly accredited plant pathologist from India to investigate the disease problem. She also arrived at the conclusion that the disease was Black Sigatoka and made arrangements for samples to be sent to CABI Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Those samples were subsequently dispatched to CABI and we received preliminary confirmation that the disease is Black Sigatoka. CABI is still to submit its final conclusion.
It should be noted that disease identification is a highly technical procedure that can take from a few days to months in many cases. In this case, even an internationally accredited institution such as CABI has not definitively identified the disease to date.
However, the ministry has acted while it awaited the results and firstly established a task force to monitor the disease and make recommendations to manage the disease. This task force was headed by Dr Raghunauth Chandranauth who is a qualified virologist. Among the recommendations of the task force was the establishment of the Musa Disease Management Unit which has since been done. This unit is headed by Mr Rajendra Persaud who holds a masters degree in Plant Pathology.
The unit has already commenced a survey to determine the actual areas affected and the disease severity in each area. The ministry’s previous knowledge of the plantain and banana producing areas in each region means that it is not necessary to visit each and every village or area in Guyana. As such when we claim that the survey is 75 per cent complete, it is a statement of fact.
On the selection of demonstration sites, it is not possible to place one in every area. Generally consideration is given to more seriously affected areas and accessibility to the sites by other farmers. However over time more demonstration sites will be established to include other areas which are deserving.
It is also necessary for me to clarify the following points raised in the letter to which I referred:-
1. Dr Raghunauth Chandranauth is an employee of NARI and is the Head of the Plant Protection Department. That is to say, he is the head scientist responsible for research into all pests and diseases including Black Sigatoka.
2. The Ministry of Agriculture as a policy allows its staff to lecture part-time at institutions such as the Guyana School of Agriculture and the Faculty of Agriculture, once it does not interrupt their core responsibilities. This policy ensures that the agriculturists in training are exposed to professionals who operate in the practical environment. In this regard Dr Raghunauth Chandranauth was given the part-time responsibility to refine the academic programme at the Guyana School of Agriculture as the Academic Director. That assignment has since been completed.
3. A programme of diversification cannot be seen as ‘running’ from a disease problem. It is internationally accepted that farmers need to vary their crops to remain competitive. This not only helps to reduce disease pressures in fields, it also ensures an income stability when the prices offered for a particular crop fall dramatically.
The ministry remains committed to providing a timely service to the farming community. I however wish to make it clear that there will be occasions when the actions we take will not bring immediate results. However we will continue to strive to ensure that whenever such cases occur it has nothing to do with the competence of our staff or neglect.
Yours faithfully,
Joseph McAllister
Technical Manager
Plant Health Services
