Is it an illusion?

years have gone into ‘other crops’. Instead, they went to expand other sectors such as housing and other industries.

There is need to place greater emphasis on production for export and to do so using both domestic and foreign investment. This points to a need for the government to recalibrate its support for the various industries in the agriculture sector.

One should not shy away from giving all forms of help to the agricultural sector. Trading rules cannot apply equally to perishable products as they apply to manufactured goods that have a longer storability than agricultural crops at relatively low warehousing costs. ‘Other crops’ in particular has never been treated with the same adoration and reverence as sugar and rice, and that attitude should change. It is time that it happens and agro-processing be supported robustly by government.

Other reason

The other reason that makes agriculture important is the number of people that it employs and who depend on it. The 2002 population census indicated that agriculture was the largest employer in Guyana. At that time, agriculture employed an estimated 20 per cent of the labour force. That was an estimated 55,000 people. Based on available data, agriculture now accounts for 22 per cent of the Guyana labour force or an estimated 60,000 people. It is likely therefore that an estimated 155,000 to 180,000 people in Guyana depend on the agricultural sector. Despite its relatively low contribution to GDP, agriculture plays a critical role in staving off hunger and rising unemployment.