Skeldon estate land would appear to offer tremendous scope for well-organised agricultural development

‘Food Security’ has become an urgent international challenge. Guyana has asserted that it can become the centre of agricultural development amongst the Caribbean territories. So far as some can tell however, there has been no identifiable approach to the formulation of a comprehensive related strategy so far. One looks forward to seeing a map that would display the locations of the various produce to be cultivated, and the respective markets to be targeted.

More importantly one misses specific reference to any coordinated training of (identified) producers, for they must be taught how to deliver the highest quality to the most selective markets, locally and overseas.

It is in this regard therefore that it becomes necessary to enquire whether any or all of the following institutions have been invited to develop and/or expand relevant programmes aimed at upgrading the skills and competencies of the myriad of prospective farmers; the institutions being:

National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute Guyana Livestock Development Authority

Guyana School of Agriculture,

(complemented by the Guyana Marketing Corporation)

amongst whom synchronisation of curricula of inhouse training and actual field experience would not be difficult to implement, centred as there are as virtual neighbours. (The GSA also operates in the Essequibo district).

Additionally however, there is the opportunity of available sugar estate land, and with the obvious concentration on the development of Region Six, Skeldon would appear to offer tremendous scope for well-organised and expansive development, albeit within the authority of the Guyana Sugar Corporation. In this connection it has to be reminded that once before the sugar industry did absorb and manage an ‘Other Crops Division’ shortly after its nationalisation. The following were the projects involved:

Wauna Oil Palm Project – located in the North West District

San Jan Oil Palm Project – West Bank Demerara Charity Cassava Mill – Essequibo Coast

Enmore Cassava Experimental Project – East Coast Demerara

Blairmont Fish Farm – West Berbice

Manarabisi State Farm – Corentyne, East Berbice

But even well before then, by 1959 Bookers Sugar Estates had engaged in a programme of other agricultural development albeit through cooperatives. This included the lease of lands for:

Rice and short-term crops – 4722 acres amongst 10 Cooperative Societies

General agriculture – 461 acres to 2 Cooperative Societies

Cane farming – 831 acres to Belle Vue Cooperative Society

The foregoing record should incite some creative thinking about how to utilise the available lands at Skeldon Estate – located in a community known for its track record for productive entrepreneurs, several of whom should be compensated for the depletion of their cane farming ventures when this estate collapsed under the current Administration.

From all reports the managerial capacity already obtains on the estate. It is only now left for the effective coordination of a carefully designed agricultural development plan, preferably funded by a specialist financial agency, managed to ensure returns on investment; rather than ‘grants’ which can have the effect of diminishing self-worth.

The developmental programme must aim at upgrading the independence of ‘human beings’, who can be respected by their progeny; but first, and most critically, by those who must lead the whole process. ‘Grants’ simply would not contribute to sustainability.