Agriculture in Guyana with Particular Reference to Fruits and Vegetables:
A Status Paper
V. C. Mathur
ITEC Expert
Government of India
National Agricultural Research Institute
Guyana
May 2002
"Traditionally, the country's agriculture has concentrated on two major commodities � sugarcane and rice. Agricultural development efforts focusing on these two commodities helped the country to achieve significant increases in their production in recent years. Sugar production increased from 129.7 thousand tonnes in 1990 to 273.7 thousand tonnes in 2000. In the corresponding period, rice production went up from 93.4 thousand tonnes to 291.8 thousand tonnes. However, concentration on just these two commodities has prevented the country from realising the full potential of its agriculturally fertile land and tropical climate suited to the production of a variety of other crops, especially fruits and vegetables, thereby curbing overall agricultural development. Realising this, the �National Development Strategy (2001-2010) � A Policy Framework� envisaged in the Civil Society Document has outlined a strategy of agricultural diversification as one of the means of poverty eradication and economic development of the country. The strategy proposes a programme of diversification focusing on the production of non-traditional commodities, for both the domestic and exports markets, with a view to broaden the agricultural base of Guyana's economy."
Excerpted from page 2
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http://www.agrinetguyana.org.gy/nari/publication/Status%20Paper%20fin.pdf
Organic Agriculture Programme
"The National Development Strategy (NDS) stipulates that environmental considerations should underpin all aspects of development, whether physical or social and further, that Guyana's development must not threaten the integrity of the environment. Developing a sustainable agricultural system goes beyond consideration of mere inputs or tools. It must address issues of environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Organic production systems are based on specific and precise standards of production, which aim at achieving agro-ecosystems, which are socially and ecologically sustainable. Apart from being an option that falls within the concept of sustainable agriculture from a resource use point of view, organic production has an established international market."
You may access the full-length version of the report by following the link below
http://www.agrinetguyana.org.gy/nari/research/organic/organicagriculture.htm