Randy was a giant among small farmers in the Rupununi and widely shared his insights

I woke up Saturday morning (January 20th, 2024) to the shockingly-sad news that my Rupununi friend and colleague, Randy Gilbert, had passed. His son, Scotty, informed me that Randy had been knocked off his motorcycle by a truck passing another truck in a cloud of dust. Randy, the motorcycle and two bags of vegetables he was delivering to clients lay in the ditch. It was difficult for him to move since one leg was broken in 3 places. Good Samaritans and his wife Sharon accompanied Randy to the Annai Health Clinic and Lethem hospital where he was given first aid and doctors made their diagnosis. He was then sent to Boa Vista, Brazil for surgery on his right leg. Given his weakness, doctors put him into a drug-induced coma (a deep state of unconsciousness) to minimize swelling of the brain and allow his body to rest more effectively. Randy never revived from the coma. The sadness of his untimely death spread across Region 9 faster than a savannah bush fire. Within hours it reached Georgetown, the Universities of Florida (UF) and Georgia (UG), where Randy had many friends, and to others abroad. The feelings of the thousands of people who knew Randy are captured in a recent letter to the editor of Stabroek News titled: “The North Rupununi is devastated”.

I’ve known and worked closely with Randy for more than 25 years and wish to share with readers my opinion of Who Randy Gilbert was and How he made such a positive impact on so many people: young and old, male and female, small farmers and university professors, among others. Let me explain.

My first of over 70 trips to the Rupununi was made on one of Eddy Singh’s Bedford ‘bush trucks’ in March of 1992. I was the new IICA Representative in Georgetown, looking for ideas for potentially sustainable agriculture development projects. I immediately fell in love with the geography, history and people of the Rupununi. In our research, questions to regional leaders included: who are the best farmers? cattlemen? marketers? and trainers in agriculture? One of the names frequently mentioned was Randy Gilbert. He seemed to be known and respected in every village in the north and most villages in Central and South Rupununi. When I finally met Randy on his 10-acre farm at Aranaputa, it became immediately clear why he was so popular. He had a broad friendly smile, a gleam in his eye and he could talk wisely about any topic linked to rural development. He was self-taught in multiple subjects not learned in school. I was impressed with his skills at growing crops, raising cattle, processing cassava and repairing motorcycles, small engines, drip irrigation systems and solar panels. He was a Jack of all trades and a passionate reader of books and any technical brochure he could get his hands on. When I asked him where he learned so much he

answered, “here and there”. He said his father was one of the first farmers to walk from Berbice on the cattle trail, marry an Amerindian girl and settle in the Aranaputa valley. His father taught him that a farmer in the Rupununi could only survive by being diversified with multiple sources of income. That helps explain why Randy had a small herd of cattle, a small stand of fruit trees, quarteracre plots of peanuts and cassava, an intensive drip irrigated vegetable garden, two hand dug wells, 2 solar panels, a water pump, a cassava grinder, and a motorcycle to facilitate his self-marketing of fruit and vegetables. Most importantly, he had a hardworking and dynamic family including his wife (Sharon) son (Scotty) and two daughters (Tiffany and Tia).

When I asked Randy if he could help prepare project profiles and implement activities that increased small farmers’ production and incomes, he didn’t hesitate. He was excited about such an initiative and offered his support, with or without payment. Between 1996 and 2023, Randy assisted IICA, Beacon Foundation, SSOS, Canada Fund, Bina Hill and many other NGO’s and public institutions active in Region 9. He played a key role in helping professionals understand the realities of small farming systems in the Rupununi. During 1998-2013 Randy served as Field Coordinator for the Rupununi Peanut Project which he helped design and was implemented by Beacon Foundation and SSOS. Randy took the lead in identifying enthusiastic peanut farmers across Region 9. He monitored peanut test plots and coordinated the training of over 400 farmers in peanut production, harvest and storage. He supported UF and UG and NAREI field research, traveling hundreds of miles on his motorcycle each year on dirt roads and trails. He was always at the forefront of introducing appropriate technologies to fellow farmers. In 2013 he constructed and managed a pilot project at Aranaputa for growing vegetables under shade with drip irrigation. In 2015 he helped 4 farm families at Karasabai establish a one-acre plot of vegetables using drip irrigation with water pumped from a small stream. In 2019 he administered a project implemented by Canada Fund and SSOS to improve cattle management at the Bina Hill agriculture school. At the same time, he installed a drip irrigated vegetable garden managed by students to supply the school kitchen. In his spare time Randy and Sharon turned their integrated small farm into a sustainable operation, supplying schools, restaurants and eco-tourist centres with healthy fruits and vegetables.

Randy was a giant among small farmers in the Rupununi and widely and wisely shared his insights on sustainable development. Since Giants leave big footprints, Randy left tracks that crisscross Region 9. At its peak, the Peanut Snack Project (2005-to present) was implemented in 43 villages. It benefitted 3,500 school children and over 200 peanut farmers and 150 women at the village level. It provided daily snacks of locally produced cassava/peanut butter sandwiches with a glass of locally made fruit juice. This project is sustainable because it is loved by: nursery and primary school students, their parents and teachers, government officials and international donors. Likewise, it satisfies a felt need at the village level and effectively utilizes local resources, both human and physical.

Randy left some very big shoes to be filled and he will be greatly missed. But fortunately, he left an important legacy: his experiences, ideas and small farm production methods that integrated such things as composing and weed control with drip irrigation and solar power. He verified the importance of his father’s advice to diversify and he learned to produce what the market demanded. When large cattle ranches started decreasing the size of their herds, he expanded his herd to meet the growing demand for meat in local villages. Today, more heads of cattle are produced in small herds at the village level than are grown on large ranches. When eco-tourism began to grow and schools switched from snacks to hot meals, Randy expanded his and Sharon’s production of fruits and veggies for these growing markets. As more and more vegetables are consumed in school hot meals and eco-tourism sites, market opportunities for small farmers will expand, as long as they become competitive. Randy led the way with his ability to integrate sustainable production practices of Amerindians with some of the not so sustainable practices of modern farming.

So, Who was Randy Gilbert?

For me he was a God-fearing natural extension officer cum-small farmer who climbed ladders to discover appropriate techniques and methods that could be adopted by Rupununi farmers to improve their quality of life. He was happiest when he was helping to uplift others. Nothing would please Randy more than to look down upon the Rupununi and see his small farmer friends and institutional professionals building upon his legacy.

I take this opportunity to say farewell to Randy and wish him Godspeed and Good Luck in dealing with the large and small farmers debating best methods for sustainable development in God’s Wonderland. Randy’s skills at TEAMWORK will undoubtedly lead to success. Sincerely,

Jerry LaGra

Retired