-under US$165,000 project
As part of its efforts to improve and increase rice production across the country, the government will soon make drone technology and Geographic Information System (GIS) services free of charge to farmers in all rice-growing regions, a Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) release announced yesterday.
This initiative, – Enhancing Precision Farming Practices in Rice Production for Guyana’s Small Farmers Using Drone Technology programme – the MoA explained, is a collaborative effort between the Government of Guyana, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organiza-tion (FAO), the People’s Republic of China, and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). It was piloted in regions Two, Three, and Six, and subsequently introduced in Region Five. It aims to introduce drone technology and GIS mapping to improve rice production and build capacity in the rice industry.
The GRDB yesterday hosted a closing ceremony for the programme.
According to the release, through financial and technical support under the FAO/China South-South Cooperation project, and a Regional E-Agriculture project, some US$165,000 was invested to procure five advanced crop management drones and laptops. Extension and technical officers from the GRDB also benefited from drone pilots and data analysts’ training.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who addressed the closing ceremony, posited that the programme is part of the transformative power of technology in revolutionizing Guyana’s rice cultivation sector.
“This project, a collaborative effort between the Government of Guyana, the FAO, China, and the Guyana Rice Development Board, is a testament to our unwavering commitment to empowering our farmers and enhancing agricultural productivity. Rice yield has moved from 5.9 tons per hectare in 2019 to 6.6 tons per hectare in the first crop of 2024. The project’s impact has been far-reaching. We have trained skilled drone pilots and data analysts, who are now at the forefront of agricultural innovation.”
He pointed out that by introducing drone technology and GIS, farmers will be equipped with invaluable tools to optimise their operations and even further maximise yields. He also emphasised that the services will be made available to farmers free of cost.
The minister told the gathering that by 2025, rice production is projected to be 741,054 metric tonnes (mt), and as of June 2024, Guyana had recorded some 362,030 mt and is on target to produce 710,004 mt by the end of 2024.
Meanwhile, FAO’s Country Representative in Guyana, Dr Gillian Smith, spoke of the many benefits to be found in using drones and GIS technology.
“This is a project that was implemented for many countries for digital transformation and innovation in agriculture. Because of how quickly this project moved forward in Guyana, we ended up with a project budget of just over US$165,000. This project is bringing one form of technology to the rice sector. There are a lot of drones and people can fly drones. The very basic thing that the drone can do is give you an aerial view of what you have. What we’ve found through this experience with GRDB and the farmers is that very quickly, and with some support from technicians from China, far more can be done. As of today, as a sign of commitment to the initiative that you have shown, we’ve been able to hand over four of the most advanced crop monitoring drones available on the market today and three high-spec laptops that will be used for the processing of data.”
And Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese embassy in Guyana, Rui Huang, said that the deployment of drone technology will allow crop yields to increase significantly while contributing to the reduction of food imports.
“This project has been a significant milestone by integrating drone technology into rice cultivation and upgrading sustainable farming in Guyana. With the deployment of drone technology, crop yields have increased significantly. This project has showcased the infinite potential of precision farming and has contributed to Guyana’s goal of reducing its food import by 25 per cent by 2025 under the CARICOM Food System Agenda.”
The MoA explained that through the GIS technology, a more proactive approach to rice production will be taken as it allows the GRDB to document, analyze, and share critical data necessary to estimate losses as part of the government’s flood risk management efforts. Further, farmers will also be able to receive data to assist them with good crop husbandry practices such as effective land preparation, and plant health.
Senior Extension Officer attached to the GRDB, Dahasrat Narine, disclosed that the Board was able to map all the rice growing areas in the country, identifying the various varieties being cultivated by farmers in various areas, as well as the stage of the crop.
The GRDB utilised its Farmer’s Field School programme to engage farmers and build awareness for the project. With the success of this pilot programme, Guyana is poised to revolutionise rice farming through the power of technology, the release added.
