24 shade houses constructed in schools across 6 regions

In an ongoing effort to promote youth development in the agriculture sector, 24 shade houses were constructed in schools across Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The joint initiative by the Agriculture Ministry’s National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) is a part of the growing number of climate-smart practices being encouraged among farmers and introduced within schools, and is a means of controlling exposure to harsh or unfavourable climatic conditions.
Thus far, the Agriculture Ministry has collaborated with 23 secondary schools to construct shade houses to assist students who are completing School Based Assessments (SBAs) for the upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams. One was also built at the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus in Berbice.
“We did 14 [shade houses] last year and already for 2023, we’ve completed an additional 10,” Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha is quoted as saying in a release from the Ministry, which added that seven of the 14 constructed in 2022 was completed through funding from the BNTF.
“We know we have to get our youths involved in agriculture to ensure longevity, sustainability, and food security. We have to build that interest and show how exciting agriculture is by establishing a solid foundation while they are in school,” Mustapha said.
In addition to the shade houses, many schools were also given technical assistance, seeds, seedlings, and tools to complement their crop science efforts while some received ducklings and chicks with feed to assist with the livestock aspect.
NAREI spent some $10,690,000 in 2022 to construct shade houses along with planting materials, irrigation systems, and tools. For its ventures in 2023, the organisation has so far spent some $20,870,000.
Some of the schools that benefited from the initiative were 8th of May Secondary School and Cottonfield Secondary School (Region Two); Leguan Secondary School and West Demerara Secondary School (Region Three); Cummings Lodge Secondary School (Region Four); Woodley Park Secondary School (Region Five); New Amsterdam Multilateral School (Region Six) and St Michael School (Region Seven).
This initiative is a part of the plan by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to collectively lower the Region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, which Guyana is spearheading, as well as a continued undertaking to involve Guyanese youths in the sector more often.
The Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, conceptualised by President Dr Irfaan Ali, was one of the first initiatives launched by the Government to promote youth involvement in agriculture.
The programme, directed towards graduates from the Guyana School of Agriculture and the University of Guyana, now has some 100 participants and has earned over $10 million from the sale of high-value crops like broccoli and cauliflower.