-To boost soil management
A state-of-the-art soil chemical services laboratory was commissioned on Monday at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
The $100 million rehabilitated facility consists of cutting-edge technological equipment to revitalise soil management and improve crop yield within the country.
The initiative was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme (SADP).
Farmers will be the key beneficiaries of the lab. It will help them to determine what type of crop to plant and accurately recommend the type of soil that would yield optimum growth.
Importantly, the laboratory provides the opportunity for Guyanese to adapt to modern and sustainable farming methods.
During the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, stressed that the facility will contribute to a further reduction of the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025 for Guyana and the Caribbean.
“The rehabilitation of the soil laboratory today is a prime example of how innovation and technology are at the heart of our agricultural transformation…We have allocated over $57 million to completely modernise this facility,” the minister stated.
To further support the laboratory, an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was purchased earlier in the year for $26.2 million along with other technological equipment.
An AAS detects elements in either liquid or solid samples through the application of characteristic wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation from a light source.
Director General at the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj noted that “The rehabilitative centre will provide accurate soil testing services, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about fertiliser application, crop selection, and soil management practices.”
He said Guyana is committed to finding innovative ways to transform agriculture while taking advantage of emerging technology to reduce the amount of manual work that farmers and agriculture officers are required to perform.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Country Department of the Caribbean of IDB, Anton Edmunds, said that these initiatives are key investment priorities for the organisation.
“A primary focus of our investments is to enhance Guyana’s agricultural research and extension system. This is crucial for supporting farmers and achieving the national and regional food security goal,”Edmunds said.
