Agri-workshop links farmers to services, financing, tech support

Efforts to strengthen agriculture as a viable business sector were highlighted during a Region Six (East Berbice–Corentyne) Agriculture Capacity Building Workshop at the Regional Democratic Council boardroom in Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, on Wednesday, where school teachers formed the majority of participants alongside farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.
The workshop is a collaborative initiative involving the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), World University Service of Canada (WUSC Caribbean), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), Guyana Food Safety Authority (GFSA), the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTTCB), the Small Business Bureau (SBB) and Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), working alongside the Ministry of Agriculture to provide farmers and other stakeholders with information on the range of services available to support agricultural production, marketing and business development.
According to Country Coordinator with WUSC Caribbean for Guyana and Suriname, Donald Cole, the initiative forms part of the Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean (SAC) project, which is funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by WUSC.

“The workshop is basically about bringing everyone in the room… so farmers can have access to services available to them, whether they need to access finance or extension services,” Cole explained.
Cole explained that while many farmers may be aware of the agencies that assist, they are often unsure about the process of accessing those services.
“Sometimes they might know where to go, but they don’t know how to access the service, and in some cases it might be vice versa. With workshops like this, they now know where to go and how to access the service,” he noted.
The WUSC official added that the initiative also focuses on strengthening systems within the agricultural sector to ensure that farmers continue to benefit even after the project concludes.

“From the project perspective, we implement a market systems approach, and when the project leaves, we want to ensure the systems and structures we put in place continue beyond the life of the project,” Cole said.
He noted that the project has been implemented over the past four years and has engaged farmers and agricultural stakeholders in several regions across Guyana.
Meanwhile, research scientist attached to the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Denicia White, explained that the workshop also served to inform farmers and other stakeholders about the range of services available through agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture.
“We are collaborating to inform farmers about services offered by the government and to give them information on practices which are good for agriculture and establishing their businesses,” White said while noting that farmers were introduced to several support services, including soil testing through NAREI, livestock support through GLDA, marketing information through the GMC and financing opportunities through agencies such as the Small Business Bureau.
She added that the initiative also encourages farmers to view agriculture as a structured business rather than simply a subsistence activity.
White also highlighted the growing emphasis being placed on hydroponic farming as part of efforts to modernise agricultural practices and improve productivity.
“Hydroponics farming is basically the use of nutrient-rich water to grow plants. With this type of cultivation, you reduce your inputs, reduce your labour, and increase your profit margin,” she explained.
Another major focus of the workshop was the Farmers Connect mobile application, which was recently launched by the Ministry of Agriculture to help farmers access information and support services more easily.
“The app in itself is like the Ministry of Agriculture moving with you and along with you,” White said.
The application allows farmers to access information such as weather updates, extension services, soil data and training opportunities, while also providing a platform to seek assistance from Ministry officials.

Timely initiative
Meanwhile, an agricultural entrepreneur from East Bank Berbice and representative of agriculture in Region Six, Reynard Ward, described the workshop as a timely initiative that helps bridge the gap between agriculture and business development.
“One of the things that is very important here is the link between business and agriculture because a lot of times people don’t consider agriculture a business,” Ward said.
Ward emphasised that agriculture plays a critical role in sustaining families and communities and said initiatives such as the workshop should be expanded beyond regional forums.
“This initiative by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and the other stakeholders is one that should be replicated not only in this region but at community levels,” he added.
Organisers said the workshop is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector by improving farmers’ access to information, services, and modern farming practices while encouraging greater collaboration between public and private sector agencies.