GEORGETOWN: The Ministry of Agriculture intends to propel the sector by promoting the green economy. This is according to Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder, who made his presentation yesterday in the National Assembly, on the 2015 budget.The minister explained that from an agricultural standpoint, “Investing in a green economy has the potential to enhance food security, reduce poverty, improve nutrition and health, and create rural jobs, while reducing pressure on the environment, including Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.”
He said that farming practices and technologies that are instrumental in “greening” agriculture include restoring and enhancing soil fertility; crop rotations; improving water-use efficiency; reducing chemical, pesticide and herbicide use; and reducing food spoilage and loss by expanding the use of post-harvest storage and processing facilities.
According to Holder, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) is pursuing a number of initiatives in this direction. He spoke of crop rotation being promoted as a management tool, especially with the use of leguminous crops (bora, red peas), to enhance soil nutrition, especially nitrogen. “The use of inocula in bean production reduces/eliminates the use of nitrogenous fertilisers. The use of vermicomposts is also being promoted for on-farm use,” Holder said.
According to the minister, year-round production of fruits and vegetables is being promoted through the use of shaded cultivation, in combination with drip-irrigation systems which improve water-use efficiency, along with mulching in lieu of herbicides to reduce weed populations.
Further, he highlighted the promotion of integrated pest-management practices as an integral part of the work programme, where pesticides are used as a last resort: “Successful interventions include the use of pheromones to control the sweet potato weevil and lures for the control of diamond back moth in cabbages and traps for fruit flies,” he said.
The ministry has also been adopting solar dryers for the drying of peppers, spices and other condiments, as well as for the drying of fish.
