A collaborative farming-based poverty reduction project financed by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Japanese Government through the Japanese Trust Fund was formally launched here on Wednesday, eight months after being implemented in poor coastal farming communities in urban and coastal regions of the country.
Set against the backdrop of the need to create more economic opportunities in poor coastal communities the project is ‘pushing’ shade houses and natural/organic farming as a means of enhancing livelihoods. Its focus is on placing expertise at the disposal
of those communities to enable the focused pursuit of hydroponic and organic farming and supporting the producers in identifying markets both at home and abroad for the sale of their produce.
This week, Project Director and Agricultural Specialist Kelvin Craig said in a presentation made to mark the US$1.350 million Sustainable Liveli-hoods and Community Economic Growth through Hydroponic and Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing Project that the initiative seeks to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for coastal low-income households.
The project is another feather in the cap of Partners of the Americas, which has been charged with executing the project.
Partners of the Americas links the United States with Latin American and the Caribbean in partnerships that utilise the energy and skills of citizen volunteers, their institutions and communities to address shared concerns of social, economic and cultural development. The Guyana Chapter in is linked with Mississippi and works on projects in areas that include health, reproductive rights, emergency preparedness, agriculture, and cultural and educational exchanges.
While the formal launch of the project only took place a few days ago, the project has already recorded a number of significant gains. In his presentation Craig lists some of the key outcomes of the project since it got underway in July last year including the development of hydroponic shade houses, natural/organic farms and home-based gardens in various regions of the country. Up until now the project has trained 551 persons in hydroponic natural vegetable production and been instrumental in the creation 501 home-based gardens including 63 in Region two, 194 in Region Three, 208 in Region Four and 36 in Region Five.
The project has also been responsible for the creation of 32 new shade houses including 6 in Region three, 22 in Region Four, 1 each in Regions Five and Seven and 2 in Region Six.
In his presentation Craig said that apart from its work with individual farmers the project is introducing the technology to various organisations including the Guyana Deaf Association, Help and Shelter, Love and Faith Church, West Berbice Sheep and Goat Farmers Association, Strath Campbell Primary School and the Orchid Foundation.
Craig disclosed that in pursuit of its objective of promoting and marketing hydroponic and natural/organic vegetables and culinary herbs the project had recruited a marketing consultant and the work has commenced on a marketing survey. Moreover, the project also envisages the creation of a National Association of Hydroponic and Natural/Organic Vegetable Producers.
The project has also secured the services of an organisational development specialist to enable network development and strengthening.