If, these days, the contemporary ambitions of young Guyanese invariably extend beyond the pursuit of agriculture, the pressure of the global food shortage and the potential for growing successful businesses held out in the pursuit of food cultivation remain a decidedly attractive prospect. Food cultivation, moreover, is an option that has been embraced by both governments and non-governmental organizations in the hemisphere with several initiatives backed by funding that make their prospects more than worthwhile.
Beginning on Tuesday, 14 young Guyanese embarked on a learning exercise guided by a Chilean non-profit organization known as PROCASUR Corporation that seeks to provide both the technical know-how and the tools to better equip them to build sound entrepreneurial foundations in agriculture whilst, simultaneously signing up to make their contribution to the fight against rural poverty. It will, from all indications, be an intensive programme that will conclude on February 22.
PROCASUR has already put down roots in both Africa and the Pacific and Guyana has now become the first Caribbean Community (Caricom) country to embrace the concept. The initiative’s Caribbean Coordinator Alda Bernardelli regards the PROCASUR experience as “a planned journey” that seeks to expand and diversify the rural knowledge market, including and valuing good experiences and knowledge from institutions, organizations, communities and individuals. It is, she says, “a knowledge management and capacity building tool for rural development.”
Focused on the expansion of decent rural (and hinterland) employment opportunities for young men and women the initiative is driven in the region by the considerable experience of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The beneficiary of a US$2.2 million grant, the project commenced in 2015 and will conclude next year. Here in the Caribbean it has the support of governments and is currently being implemented in six countries: Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana and Haiti. Other countries in the region including Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are also likely to receive assistance from the programme.
Food Security Officer at FAO, Barbados Farnsen Jean explained that the project is proceeding on the foundation of the strong and reliable partnership that exists between the FAO and IFAD.
As part of the exercise the 14 Guyanese participants will visit the Surama Eco Lodge, a community-based, eco-tourism facility; Amazon Caribbean Guyana Ltd, a private company that has successfully developed a heart of palm cultivation project; the Women’s Agricultural Development Network (WADN) and the Blue Flame Women’s Group, a network of small scale agro processors that have made important breakthroughs in the local agro-processing sector. They will also be exposed to young rural entrepreneurs who have created their own income-generating ventures primarily in shade house and hydroponic farming.
At the conclusion of what is being described as a ‘Learning Route’ the 14 participants will be required to prepare ‘innovation plans’ based on their experiences along the route. Participants submitting what are considered viable plans will be funded to the tune of $200,000 to plough into their respective ventures.
For Terry Joseph, a 23-year-old Region One farmer, the project provides an important opportunity to expand his knowledge base to help develop the ginger-cultivation project that commenced in Hosororo early in January. For Joseph, participation in the project positions him to help expand the employment prospects in the hinterland community beyond the limited farming and logging opportunities that currently exist. The ginger cultivation project has already benefited from a $5 million presidential grant and comprises five separate groups each cultivating three acres.
Another 23-year-old farmer, Deochand Gangadin from Hague on the West Coast Demerara is hoping that his own ‘learning route’ will take him to a place that enables him to actualize his ambition of becoming a successful farmer. He is already involved in agriculture, supporting his father on the family’s cash crop farm at Hague back dam.
The remaining participants in the programme all seek to factor the opportunity afforded by the project into their respective ventures in the hope that they will contribute to the success that they seek.
