Although recent flooding has wreaked havoc on some farms, for Ramdatt and Marlene Persaud all was not lost because of a new greenhouse project that they undertook.
When their farm at L’ Esperance, Canal Number 1, West Bank Demerara was flooded, most of their produce was already harvested except for some cabbages. They lost an entire harvest estimated at over $100,000. However, celery, lettuce, tomatoes, pak choi and eschallot that they planted in a greenhouse and on table tops were spared.
The greenhouse was set up at the couple’s farm as part of the Canal Polders Green Initiative—a joint initiative of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and the Canada-funded Carib-bean Local Economic Deve-lopment (CARILED) programme. The US$41,500 project aims to teach new techniques in farming and to serve as a way to diversify agriculture in Guyana and its primary target is women. In total, three greenhouses were built at farms in Canal Number 1 and Canal Number 2. Two Greenhouses were built at Clay Brick Road, at Canal Number 2.
Ramdatt, 50, said his current goal is to turn his entire farm into a greenhouse.