Agriculture is the backbone of most countries. It has existed since the beginning of time. In Genesis 2:15, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden and instructed him to keep it. This makes Adam Earth’s first farmer! From God’s actions, we can glean the importance of food cultivation. It has a major impact on our everyday lives. The agriculture industry directly impacts a nation’s food security, economic growth, employment, and environmental sustainability.
In Guyana, agriculture is considered to be a major source of export income, with about 17% of the country’s labour force being employed through this sector. Guyana has vast amounts of arable lands, fertile waters, and a tropical climate that has benefited the country significantly by allowing for a wide variety of crops, seafood, and livestock to be produced. Thus, agriculture has played a vital role in shaping the history and development of Guyana.
Long before the European colonisation of the country, the indigenous peoples of Guyana were employing sophisticated agricultural systems to cultivate crops such as maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, and peppers. They practised methods such as slash-and-burn farming and the use of raised beds. Their sustainable methods allowed for environmental preservation while they utilised the fertile soil. It was during Guyana’s colonial era, however, that the agricultural landscape was transformed with the European powers establishing plantations for cash crop cultivation. Sugar, tobacco, and cotton were the primary focus. This plantation system dominated the economy and social structure, shaping Guyana into a society heavily dependent on agriculture. Over time, there has been a decline in the prominence of the agricultural sector, which can be attributed to factors such as climate and natural disasters (e.g. flooding), insufficient infrastructure, limited financial access, and land distribution, to name a few.
In recent years, however, there has been a push by the Government of Guyana to bolster and expand the country’s agriculture sector as a means of developing a more reliable source of gross domestic income for the country and improving food security by utilising sustainable agricultural practices. This push has been focused on courting international investors and, more importantly, the involvement of our own Guyanese, especially the youth. Programmes such as The Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (AEIP) were implemented to encourage the youth to become agribusiness owners. Other initiatives included updating legislation to increase investment and the revival and expansion of aquaculture, etc.
The environment, therefore, is overflowing with opportunities in the agricultural field, but what has been the response of our young people? Is there a rush by the youths to take full advantage of what’s being offered? To answer these questions and more, I interviewed two older and one younger-generation agriculturalists from the First Assembly of God Wortmanville church: Dr Wilbert Lee, Brother Neil Corry, and Brother Aubrey Sultan.
“It is a difficult thing to get young people to work on the farm because young people these days don’t want to do the hard work.”
Neil Corry
Dr Wilbert Lee was introduced to the agricultural field as a child on his family’s farm, where he was tasked with tending to the crops and cattle daily. This caused him to develop a deep appreciation for farming. This appreciation was one of the motivating factors that led him to transform a ten-acre plot of land he acquired into a farm where he now cultivates crops such as pineapples, watermelons, soursop, lemons, limes, etc.
Brother Neil Corry has had an appreciation for agriculture since he was a child, where he, along with his parents, regularly planted vegetables in their environment. His true love for agriculture, however, grew when he was placed in the North West region of Guyana for work in the medical field. He was exposed to the bountiful crop production taking place in the area and was intrigued. He now owns a farm where he plants crops like lemon, breadfruit, sweet potato, and pineapples.
Brother Aubrey Sultan has always had an admiration for plants and animals from a tender age, and this admiration increased as he grew older. Agriculture Science was his favourite subject at school, and while he was still a teenager, he was asked to take care of the plants at his local church, which also fueled his interest in the field. He’s the holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Science from the University of Guyana and is currently working as a field manager for one the world’s largest private agricultural companies.
Youth Perception of the Agriculture Sector
Youth perception of the agricultural field varies depending on different factors such as cultural background, geographical location, education, and personal interests. In urbanised societies, there is a tendency for young people to be disconnected from nature. Many young individuals have limited exposure to rural environments and agricultural practices, which leads to a lack of understanding and appreciation for the sector. Some young people perceive agriculture as a sector with limited career opportunities. There is also a belief that it offers only traditional farming roles, and the diverse range of careers available in the field is often overlooked. Very commonly, agriculture is also seen as labour-intensive, physically demanding, and less financially rewarding. These have been some of the experiences that Dr Lee and Brother Corry have had with the young people that they tried mentoring in the field or employing on their farms. Brother Corry lamented, “It is a difficult thing to get young people to work on the farm because young people these days don’t want to do the hard work.” His observations were based on the many times he employed young people on his farm and was met with great challenges.
Dr Lee shared about the instances he took groups of young people to his farm to give them some exposure to farming. They were able to see various farming practices and also plant a few crops. It was the first time that many of them saw the unique way pineapples grow out of the ground. Dr Lee pointed out that Brother Aubrey Sultan was among the group of young people, and he was the only one who ventured into agriculture. He said, “It’s difficult to mentor young people in agriculture based on what I’ve observed, I think it’s because of the amount of work, it can be heavily labour-intensive manual work, so I think that has driven some of the young people away.”
“Agriculture is definitely a lucrative market. It’s like a child. There are limitless possibilities and futures….if you consistently invest in them.”
Aubrey Sultan
Individuals who have grown up in farming families or rural communities tend to have a positive outlook on agricultural work, appreciating the connection with nature and the sense of fulfilment that comes from producing food. Some see the agricultural sector as an opportunity for entrepreneurship and innovation. This has been Brother Aubrey’s experience among his peers in the agricultural sector. He referenced his classroom days at the University of Guyana, explaining that his colleagues were not very many, and the majority of them came from backgrounds where they were exposed to farming as a family business. They were seeking to build upon their knowledge and diversify. “The majority of people that are interested in agriculture are those who have a family with some type of business in that sector, and they’ve seen how lucrative it can be,” he said.
Trade-offs of the Agriculture Sector
Agriculture can be a lucrative market. As the global population continues to grow, the demand for food and other agricultural products increases. This creates opportunities for farmers to meet the market demand and potentially earn profits. Profit generation greatly depends upon input and investments, with factors such as farm size, location, management expertise, access to resources, and market dynamics being areas that affect profit. According to Brother Aubrey, “Agriculture is definitely a lucrative market. It’s like a child. There are limitless possibilities and futures that you can expect from a child if you consistently invest in them.”
Guyana’s favourable climatic and geographical conditions give the country the great potential to be a major competitor in the global market. Prolific crop production has been taking place in the interior regions of the country for decades; however, access to these interior regions has been a major challenge. This has led to major food wastage, especially because there aren’t any significant markets in those areas. Brother Corry expressed, “We need to fully understand what each region could produce based on their soil and climate and develop infrastructure to allow each area to be accessed and cultivated.” Processing agricultural products into value-added goods, such as packaged and canned foods, beverages, or natural cosmetics, would also aid in reducing food wastage and greatly increase profitability.
Being involved in agriculture can provide a meaningful and fulfilling lifestyle grounded in a deep connection with nature and the satisfaction of providing quality food for yourself and others. This has been the sentiments of all of the interviewees. They all agreed that this is a major factor that drives them. Dr Lee said, “Apart from keeping me healthy and fit and allowing me to produce food, it helps to provide clean air and reduce the impact of climate change.”
The Way Forward
The active involvement of people, especially the youth, in the agricultural field cannot be overstated. It is vital for food security, sustainable development, rural livelihoods, innovation, environmental stewardship, knowledge preservation, and resilience in the face of global challenges. Agriculture is a fundamental sector that requires the collective effort of individuals to address the complex issues related to food production, environmental sustainability, and societal well-being.
Encouraging young people to get involved in this sector is crucial for the future of agricultural development and sustenance. Our interviewees had various ideas about the strategies we can implement to encourage the youth. Dr Lee spoke about the radio programmes he listened to as a child, which encouraged him to plant. He recounted that in his younger days, the Ministry of Agriculture would distribute seeds and seedlings to members of the communities to encourage them to plant. This strategy, he feels, can be utilised again in order to encourage the youth of this generation (and those to come) to plant.
Brother Corry suggested that Agriculture Science as a subject should be made compulsory in all schools so that children from a young age can be exposed to the field. Brother Aubrey, meanwhile, recommended that “…more emphasis be placed on exposing people to the field.” He urged those who are already involved in the field to seek a young person they could mentor. Institutions such as the Guyana School of Agriculture and the University of Guyana that have a good understanding of the science of agriculture should place more effort and innovation in encouraging and exposing the youth to agriculture, he further added.
Whether it’s a kitchen garden, potted plants, or even a commercial farm, as Guyanese, we should all encourage ourselves to grow something. Agriculture makes up the very fabric of who we are as a nation. Guyana, ‘The Breadbasket of the Caribbean’, we were once called.’ We can reclaim this prestigious title. Can we do it? YES WE CAN!
Amen