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Organic Agriculture Programme

lIntroductionl lWhat is Organic Agriculture?l lThe NDSllWhy Organic Farming?l 
lInitiatives for converting to Organic Productionl lWhy does Organic Cost More?l 
lOrganic Certificationl lOrganic Practicesl lOrganic Production Activities in Guyanal 
lPromoting Organic Agriculture in Guyanal lProposed Budgetl

The agricultural sector in Guyana as well as in the Caribbean Region continues to face new challenges.  Such challenges relate to the need for sustainable production methods and high-quality products, as well as the urgent need to improve competitiveness and extend participation in global markets.  Organic agriculture is being posited as a mechanism to attain these objectives.

Recently in Guyana, much interest has been generated in organic agriculture, especially with the launching of the Organic Cocoa Project in Region 1.  GuySuCo has also embarked on organic sugar production at Uitvlugt.  The potential also exists for other crops such as tropical fruits, vegetables, root crops as well as livestock, to be organically produced.  A number of farmers as well as farmers' group have expressed an interest in organic production.

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Organic agriculture has been defined by the National Organic Standards Board of the USA (1996) as 
"an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological
cycles and soil biological activity.  It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management
practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony".

The simplest way to describe organic agriculture is agricultural production without the use of synthetic chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, etc).  For crop production, organic materials such as compost and manure are used to maintain soil organic matter and as sources of nutrients.  Nitrogen-fixing as well as pest resistant plant varieties are utilized.  Further, the incorporation of soil management techniques such as mulching, inter-cropping and crop rotation are integral components of an organic farming system.  Another important characteristic of an organic farming system is the use of agro-forestry systems.

The objective of organic agriculture is to produce nutritious food in a economically viable and environmentally beneficial way.  An organic production system is designed to work constructively with natural biological cycles and to operate with minimal external inputs.  In order to ensure that the organic system is efficient and sustainable in the long term, sustainable crop rotations, nutrient recycling, encouragement of a rich biodiversity and other management practices are necessary prerequisites.

Basically 'organic' is a labeling term that denotes products that have been produced in accordance with organic standards throughout production, handling, processing and marketing stages, and certified by a duly constituted certification body or authority.  The 'organic' label is therefore a process claim rather than a product claim. 

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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.

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There are many benefits to be derived from the adoption of organic farming practices.  Some of these benefits are highlighted below:

Environmentally Friendly

Organic farming is environmentally friendly.  It is well known that chemicals have destroyed many beneficial insect species and have caused environmental degradation.  The ever-increasing threat to groundwater pollution from inefficient and indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides, respectively, is cause for much concern.  These threats are eliminated in organic farming systems since natural pest control is practiced.  In fact, organic farmers' primary strategy in controlling pests and diseases is through prevention.

This is achieved in a number of ways.  One is by building healthy soils - fertilizing and building soil organic matter through the use of cover crops, composts, etc - to ensure the plants are adequately nourished.  Secondly, natural pest control using pest-resistant varieties as well as medicinal plants and plants with natural pesticidal properties, is an integral part of any organic farming system.  Natural pest control is cheaper than using synthetic pesticides and many treatments are available locally.  Further, the practice of natural pest control minimises pollution of soil and groundwater.

In organic farming fertilizers are made from materials found on the farm.  This kind of fertilizer is known as 'compost' and is better for the crops because of the way it feeds the soil.  Compost is a cheaper source of fertilizer and contains all the nutrients that are needed by plants.  The use of composted material is  environmentally friendly and results in the reduction of fertilizer costs for farmers.

Consumer Acceptance

Consumers are turning to organic food because they believe it to be tastier, as well as healthier, both for themselves and the environment.  Despite the higher cost for organic products, consumers are willing to pay for their preferences.  Another reason for organic products gaining prominence is the opposition to Genetically Modified (GM) food, particularly in Europe and Japan. 

Good Market Potential

Although organic products so far represent only a small fraction (about 1 percent) of total food sales, the world market is growing steeply and is expected to reach 5-10 percent of food sales in major markets in the next few years.  Currently, it is estimated that organic product sales amount to about US$20 Billion.  Coffee and tea, fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, spices, sugar and hundreds of other organically grown products are part of the broad and growing market for developing countries to export organic foods.

A recent Reuters Report appearing in the Stabroek News of Monday, December 25, 2000, stated that one-third of British shoppers now buy organic.  The report further stated that the Soil Association, which certified around 70 percent of organic food produced in the United Kingdom, reckoned that the demand for organic was growing at 40 percent a year, with sales expected to reach 1,070 million pounds in 2002.  The above clearly indicates that organic production can account for big "bucks".

Some countries in the region have already embarked on organic production.  Organic products exported from the Dominican Republic now amount to around 20 percent of fruit and vegetable exports and a wide range of crops are produced organically.  Costa Rica has recently developed a National Organic Agriculture Programme to boost organic production.  Belize has embarked on organic citrus production.

In Guyana, a Pilot Project on organic cocoa production was started in the Mabaruma/Hosororo area in Region 1 in 2000.  GuySuCo has also embarked on organic sugar production at Uitvlugt.  It is without doubt that the adoption of organic farming practices would significantly boost farming activities in Guyana.

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In order to encourage farmers to convert to organic production, a number of initiatives have been provided to them.  According to Ahmad (2000), several governments and retailers in Europe have developed initiatives to aid farmers to convert to organic production.  For example, the French Government has an ambitious five-year plan to boost the organic sector and plans to subsidise farmers making the conversion.  Organic agricultural land is to account for 5% of all land by the year 2002.  In 1996, the Dutch Government also embarked on a programme to increase the organic food market share from less than 1% of total food consumption to 6-10% in five years and has invested US$33 Million to stimulate production, distribution and sales of organic food.

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The reason prices are generally higher for organic foods reflect many of the costs as conventional foods in terms of growing, harvesting, transportation and storage.  Organically produced foods must meet stricter regulations (certification), governing all these steps so that the process is often more labour and management intensive, and farming tends to be on a smaller scale.  There is also mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production (clean up of polluted water, replacement of eroded soils, costs of health care for farmers and their workers) were factored into the price of food, organic foods would cost the same, or, more likely be cheaper.

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Certified organic refers to agricultural products that have been grown and processed according to strict uniform standards, which are verified by certifying bodies.  Organic certification requires inspections of the producer (processor/handler).  The purpose of the inspection is to verify that the required conditions are in place to meet the certifying agency's certification criteria or standards.  Certification includes inspection of farm fields and processing facilities.  Farm practices inspected include long term soil management, buffering between organic farms and any neighbouring conventional farms, product labeling and record keeping.

Organic certification programmes are funded by the party seeking certification.  Payment of application fees and inspection fees does not guarantee certification.  Each certification agency has different methods for assessing fees for certification of organic products.  In some cases, the inspection fees and an annual percentage assessment fee based on gross sales of organic products are collected separately. 

In other cases, an annual percentage assessment fee is charged and the inspection costs are included.  Often, new applicants will be charged an additional fee to cover the extra cost accrued in processing a new application.

Organic farmers may differ in details in their views on good farming practices, but the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) acts as a common forum for information exchange and debate.  IFOAM also sets guidelines for permitted practices.  IFOAM currently has 750 member organizations in 107 countries worldwide.  It has official consultative status of the UN ECOSOC, the FAO, and is the ISO recognized body by the WTO in the IBS Directory as the International Standards Setting Body for organic agriculture worldwide.

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Organic Farm Plan

Most certified organic crop production standards specify that farmers adopt a written farm plan.  This should reflect a commitment to long-term soil improvement or maintenance at a high fertility level.  Emphasis should be on the building up of soil organic matter through green manuring and/or application of composted material.

Benefits of adequate soil organic matter include:

	Improved drainage and moisture holding capacity;
	Improved aeration and root penetration;
	Reduced inputs of fertilization;
	Improved crop resistance to pests and diseases;
	Some weed suppression effects;
	Increased resistance to soil erosion;
	Increased population of soil micro-organism which allow for:      - Improved availability of nitrogen and mineral nutrients;      - Enhanced nutrient exchange in the plant rhizosphere;      - Further improvement in soil structure;      - Some soil pathogen resistance;       - Improved distribution of nutrients in the soil.

In addition to these benefits that are attained through soil organic matter enhancement, organic farming requires a system of crop rotation and specific crop management techniques relative to each cultivar and crop type.

Soil Fertility Management

Soil Fertility Management for organic farming incorporates the use of animal manure, compost, cover crops, green manure and organic matter enhancement. 

	Animal Manure The use of animal manure completes the nutrient cycle allowing for a return of energy and fertilizer nutrients to the soil.  Manure from livestock feedlots, poultry operations and dairies could be utilized.  Fresh manure is not recommended.
	Compost The use of compost in commercial organic agriculture is promising.  Compost is beneficial in a number of ways.  It contains antibiotics and antagonists to soil pests allowing for increased plant resistance to attacks; increases crop yields, is important in weed control and builds up soil organic matter. An annual application rate of 5 to 10 tons per acre is recommended for intensive annual cropping.  However, soil tests and compost analyses are needed when application rates are to be determined.
	Green Manures The use of green manures and cover cropping is a standard practice in organic farming.  Selection of green manure crop varieties and aspects of management are dependant upon the intended function of the crop. A significant drawback in using green manures and cover crops is that they occupy land in lieu of a cash crop.  Often times, a grower may not be able to afford this short-term reduction in income.
	Crop Rotation Crop rotation is an essential component of any organic farming system. It creates the diversity in space and time that disrupts the growth and development of weed, pest and disease populations. When fertility enhancement and pest and disease management are the main benefits of crop rotation, a crop rotation plan must allow for the profitable operation of the farm business.  A well designed rotation plan is a must for the organic grower. One benefit of crop rotations is the break in pest and disease cycles that occurs when you rotate from a grain crop to a legume crop for example.  It has been proven that the greater the differences between crops in a rotation sequence, the better cultural control of pests can be expected.
	Weed Management Weeds are considered the primary pest in most organic farming systems.  Organic farmers rely primarily on mechanical and cultural practices to control weeds. Mechanical weed control is achieved primarily through tillage and cultivation.  Tillage is the working of the soil before planting of a cash crop and after crop harvest.  Cultivation is performed once  the cash crop is planted.  Once the crop emerges, the number of cultivations performed is usually relative to the weed pressure and limited by growth of the crop.  It should be stated that increased tillage for weed control can increase soil erosions, which is opposed to the goal of increasing soil organic matter. Cultural weed control refers to any method or practice, excluding mechanical and biological, which imparts a control on the competitive nature of weeds.  There are a number of widely practiced cultural weed control methods.
	Insect and Disease Pest Management When insect pest out-breaks occur, organic growers have three control strategies to choose from: 1.     Mechanical 2.     Biological control 3.     Organically approved insecticide materials Mechanical insect control methods utilize bug vacuums, sticky traps, etc.  In some cases, hand removal of insect pests may be the most affordable option. Biological insect control is an essential component of an organic pest control strategy.  Biological control uses insect pest predators, parasites or pathogens to control insect pest infestations.  Organic growers may augment beneficial insect populations present in the field, import entire populations or enhance plant diversity in the field along field edges to provide habitat for beneficial insects.  Alternatively, microbial controls may be appropriate to use either alone or in combination with pest predators. Broad spectrum botanical insecticides affect a wide variety of insect pests, while the narrow spectrum horticultural oils and dusts and insecticidal soaps are somewhat more selective and of lower toxicity.  Organically approved fungicidal materials are preventive and usually applied before disease problems are manifested in the field.  All of these materials are used only when the non-chemical crop husbandry practices have proven ineffective and pest damage is reaching economically damaging levels.  The most commonly used broad spectrum botanical insecticides include pyrethrum and neem. The most commonly used disease control materials include copper fungicides and some sulphur based compounds.  Copper fungicides are used against a wide array of fungal diseases and bacterial blights.  Sulphur based compounds such as the Bordeaux mixture is used to control fungal diseases.  The Bordeaux mixture is also an effective repellent to many insects, most notably flea beetles, grass-hoppers and cutworms. The certifying agencies have approved lists of products that could be used for pest and disease management.  For example, the Soil Association (UK) recommends natural fungicide and insecticides such as copper oxychliride, copper ammonium nitrate, copper sulphate and soft soap for use in organic production systems.

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The Cocoa Project

The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and Ministry of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock (MFCL) with support from the British High Commission launched a two-year organic cocoa production project in Region #1 in June 2000.

The general objective of the project is to increase agricultural income and job opportunities for farmers in hinterland areas of Guyana, as well as develop an export market in cocoa for which Guyana has a comparative advantage.  One of the specific objectives of the project is to encourage and assist the Government of Guyana in the formulation and implementation of a public policy, which will encourage the development of organic agriculture, cocoa in particular.

The cocoa plantation has neither been fertilized or has any chemicals used for pest or weed control.  The plants are also reported to be resistant to Witches Broom, one of the most serious of fungal pathogens.  This is advantageous for producing an organic crop.

A training programme has been initiated for cocoa farmers, dealing with various aspects of organic production.  An organic cocoa nursery has also been established.  The first consignment of approximately 2 tons of organic cocoa was sent to Europe in June 2001.  The next shipment is expected to amount to 5 tons.

Organic Sugar Production

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has embarked on a pilot project for evaluating the commercial feasibility of producing organic sugar cane.  A "pilot" farm of 120ha has been established at Uitvlugt Estate in the West Coast of Demerara.

The fields selected for the pilot study were cultivated to commercial sugar cane but cane production from the area was discontinued in 1985-86 following the rationalization of cane cultivation in West Demerara.  The site, which had reverted to shrub land, has been cleared and developed.  At the time of writing 116ha have been planted.  The first harvest and sugar production will be in July 2002.

The GuySuCo project will focus over the next five years on the development of a "Better Farming Practice" for organic cane production and the sustainability of ratoon productivity.  The use of composted waste products of sugar cane processing and livestock farms is being promoted primarily to maintain good soil physical properties and soil fertility.  The project is also evaluating legume inter-cropping with annual legumes and also Leucsenae for contribution to fertility.

Much emphasis needs to be placed on weed control in the early crop stages and fields have been laid in a manner that will facilitate the use of small tractor-drawn implements for this purpose.

GuySuCo has developed its reputation as an environmentally sensitive company over the years.  Pest control is largely dependant on biological and cultural control.  The use of insecticides is very minimal across the entire industry.

Pesticide and Toxic Chemical Board

The Ministry of Agriculture established a Pesticide and Toxic Chemical Control Board in 2000.  An implementation Unit of the Board has been established and inspectors are expected to be employed in the second half of 2001.

Collection of Endemic Species

NARI is participating in a project to identify and collect ten plant species of endemics with medicinal or pesticidal qualities and establish a tissue culture collection, which will be one of five such collections within the Caribbean.  This activity launched in January 2001, is one part of a larger project funded by the Organisation of American States (OAS), to promote cooperation in the development and transfer of biotechnologies for sustainable development in the Caribbean.

IPM in Rice

An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme is being implemented by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), which has developed an IPM model for  the control of paddy bug (Oebalus poecilus), which is the most important pest of rice in Guyana.

Pink Mealybug Unit

In 1997 the Ministry of Agriculture established the Pink Mealybug Coordinating Unit, which has since implemented an effective system to control Pink Mealybug through the use of two natural predators Anagyrus kamali and Crytolaemus montrouzieri.

Crop Protection

The potential crop protection uses of fifty local plant species were documented and published in 1999, as a product of a CIDA funded project "increasing agricultural production through the use of natural environmentally friendly pesticides".

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In order to promote organic agriculture in Guyana, a number of activities would have to be embarked upon.

There must be a clear and unequivocal support and commitment from the Government of Guyana (GOG) for the promotion of organic agriculture. 

Marketing

In addition to supplying local demands, niche markets overseas would have to be sought.  A thorough investigation of local and international market potential would have to be carried out, taking into account possible locations for production, transportation and packaging costs, cost of compliance with certification requirements, etc.  In addition, the need for interim marketing strategies will have to be addressed to cover the period of conversion to organic production.

Potential for Guyana's Products

Much of Guyana's non-traditional production can be considered 'organic' because of the non-use of artificial inputs.  Although this in itself does not qualify them for the organic market, such systems can more easily be made to conform to the requirements of organic certifying bodies, once farmers become knowledgeable of organic systems and practices and the social acceptance of such management practices.

The potential exists for crops such as citrus, avocado, cashew, passion fruit, various root crops and a range of vegetables and spices to be produced organically.  Value added products from these commodities could also be marketed as organic.

Certification

As organically produced products are only distinguishable from their non-organic counterparts due to their certification, establishing and maintaining the integrity of a certification system is essential if goods are to sold a premium.  The selection of appropriate certifying agencies and implementation of mechanisms to certify producers will have to be addressed.

Research

Research support to develop feasible and sustainable organic agricultural techniques, which are site-specific, is of fundamental importance.  This would include monitoring the environmental impact of organic production systems, such as leaching of nitrates, the volatisation of ammonia from livestock wastes, etc.  The research should focus not only on chemical fertility, but also the physical and biological fertility of soil, that is, to assess the impact of not only on nutrient levels, but soil structure and micro and macro organisms, evaluation of biopesticides, appropriate machinery for tillage and harvesting operations, when developing and assessing technical packages.  It is important to establish a research agenda that will capacitate NARI to monitor and re-evaluate the production systems.  Research support activities will also be concerned with the identification of suitable varieties adapted to growing organically on Guyanese soils, and NARI will supply nurseries with appropriate germplasm and organic seeds in the production areas.

Pilot Areas

Pilot area which are suitable for conversion to organic production would have to be identified.  Soil testing will be an important component of this activity.  Surveys will need to be implemented to identify specific participating farms and their characteristing.

Technical Packages/Training

Technical packages will have to be developed to be used by farmers for land preparation, soil management, harvesting and storing in the approved manner.  These packages would address soil building, compost making, pest control, crop rotations, mulching, the use of beneficial insects and other organisms, intercropping, etc.

Demonstration Farms

Demonstration farms would have to be established in different locations to illustrate various organic practices.  An initial demonstration farm to be utilized for organic vegetable production will be established by NARI at Mon Repos.  This will serve as the basis for information dissemination and training in all aspects of organic production.

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In the proposed budget, activities related to organic cocoa and sugar production have not been considered.  Similarly, NARI will utilize its own funds for the demonstration farm.  

The following proposed budget should be given consideration:

* The above will be on a annual basis *

The following persons were involved in the Organic Agriculture Programme:           

Seed Multiplication/Production

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