Guyana must go beyond an agricultural development policy that is based on the politics of sugar and rice

Dear Editor,

I read in your newspaper about the efforts by H.E. President Dr. Irfaan Ali and the Hon. Minister of Agriculture Mr.Zulfikar Mustapha to revitalize Guyana’s livestock sector by importing the prolific Barbados Blackbelly breed of sheep from Barbados. While I was thrilled by this news, on reflection I could not help being somewhat disappointed by its déjà vu effect as Guyana did this before and once had large thriving flocks of this breed which provided breeding rams and ewes to farmers across the country. Unfortunately, those gains were lost through the neglect of agriculture outside of sugar and rice. The same fate was suffered by the breeding herds of exotic cattle at Ebini that were being bred and selected for beef production as pure-bred cattle, exotic crosses or crossed with indigenous cattle that farmers used in many parts of the country. These breeds included the American Brahman and Santa Gertrudis, among others. That breeding and selection efforts started even before Guyana gained independence so the loss of the animals themselves and their records represent a loss to Guyana of incalculable value. Fortunately, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority was created to restart another effort…but what a loss of time and irreplaceable capital.

I also read in your newspaper that the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) was establishing a milk plant to produce homogenized and pasteurized milk, and flavoured milk for the local market. This too is déjà vu as Guyana had one before. The article did not say if DDL was going to source the milk for its plant from local farmers or would support foreign ones by importing dried skimmed milk and butter oil, which is dumped on international markets, for reconstitution. The latter would be a really retrograde step, even a tragedy in many ways, as Guyana once had a Dairy Development Programme, well led by Dr. Steve Surujbally that promoted dairy development in Guyana and helped farmers along the coast to improve their livelihoods through the sale of milk to the milk plant operated by the Livestock Development Company. Oh yes indeed, there was such a Company with beef ranches in the Rupununi, Kabower on the West Bank Berbice, Mara on the East Bank Berbice, Ebini in the Intermediate Savannahs, Berbice River and dairy farms at Moblissa, Linden-Soesdyke highway and Gold Digging behind Blairmont Sugar Estate. These not only contributed to food and nutrition security in Guyana but supported farmers through the provision of breeding stock and technical know-how. While I commend the restarting of these development efforts, I lament the reversal of the decades of progress made in livestock development in Guyana and having to go back to first base. These reversals touch me personally, as I spent much of my youth helping to support these development efforts.

It is not a foregone conclusion that the world would be able to feed itself to population stabilization of more than ten billion people, and when 60% more food will be needed than is produced now. Guyana is well positioned, despite its small size, to become a major player in food and nutrition security in the region and beyond. I commend President Ali for this vision. Guyana must go beyond an agricultural development policy that is based on the politics of sugar and rice, and capitalize on its livestock, fish and crops potential, including fruits and vegetables. All of these have niche ecological zones that include the coastal, Intermediate and Rupununi Savannahs, and the riverain areas of Guyana. Financial resources are no longer an impediment, and that resource gained from oil should be invested on social and economic infrastructure, including in rural areas. There is need for roads, airports and seaports to facilitate local and foreign trade, as well as investments in research for development that create and transfer knowledge to support the broadly based agriculture development that is needed. Guyana’s oil reserves will not last forever, but its agriculture can and will, if there is the will to make the sector do so.

Yours faithfully,

Jimmy Smith, Director General International Livestock Research Institute