AGRICULTURE NOTES:

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AGRICULTURE:

- Dual agricultural economy- large-scale export-oriented plantation sector; small-scale

farming system geared to production for the household and for sale on the domestic
market
- Race of farmers influence the type of crops- African farmers plant cassava, yam, carrots,
breadfruit, bananas; Indians rear buffalo, plant rice
- Historical- plantation system- sugar cane main crop

COMMERCIAL ARABLE FARMING- GUYANA:

- Sugar cane- main crop
- Planting occurs near coastal areas for export to other countries and is done by hand

CHALLENGES:

-Decline in sugar production due to poor weather, plant diseases, labour unrest, shortage of skills
and capital

- Reliant on the European market

- Uncompetitive- low cane yields, low sucrose content

SOLUTIONS:

- Number of options to improve the competitiveness of Guyana’s sugar industry

- Cost reduction measures by improving technical performance, achieving economies of
scale
- Diversification- producing ethanol or cogenerating electricity; diversification of sales into
different markets, by supplying regional markets rather than exports to the EU

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUGAR CANE IN BRAZIL:

- Used to make ethanol in the 1970s
- Lack of competitiveness of ethanol and late investments in the industry increased cost of
production
- World’s largest producer of sugar cane
- 1 million people employed in the sugar industry
- Used in the domestic market and in the export market for ethanol, detergents, solvents,
diesel, bioelectricity
 CHANGES IN COMMERCIAL FARMING (GUYANA/ CARIBBEAN):
- Government policy: Jagdeo Initiative addresses main challenges by spending money to
improve drainage and irrigation, lack of skills and human resources in agriculture.
However, this initiative needs increased investments, increase in agricultural production
and an increase in regional trade.
- Food security- more women should be encouraged in agriculture to achieve food security
through kitchen/backyard gardens
- Diversification- limited by the small size of economies in the region. Diversification
depends on availability of suitable land for specific crops, infrastructure, markets,
committed farmers and access to finance. Fertile lands are given to other industries-
tourism and real estate development. Markets also have to be secured. Products must be
competitive in terms of price and quality.
- Value-added- agro-processing- reduces post-harvest losses, preserves food, adds value,
thus increasing farm incomes. Marketing and distribution of domestic food crops should
be organized more formally.
- Small farmer sector- small farmers make products of variable quality, this forces
processors to rely on imported inputs and these farmers lose out on business because of
the lack of access to land and finance capital. Governments have expressed commitment
to improve this situation.
- Technology- use of technology on Caribbean farms is limited due to affordability and
steep terrain. Shade house- affordable- house/construction made from dark plastics to
protect crops from the sun’s direct glare.
- New markets- Caribbean producers export mainly to Europe but should try the regional
and North American markets

CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN FARMING:

- Creation of new farms in savanna areas, increased agro-industrialization- led to export of

beef, grains, ethanol
- Gov’t intervention- not much
- EMBRAPA/Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation set up in 1973 to make the
sector more competitive, productive and modern.
- EMBRAPA improves soil quality in the savannas by:
1. Introduced lime to soil to reduce acidity
2. Introduced new vegetation by crossbreeding a certain type of grass
3. Introduced soya beans as a tropical crop through crossbreeding
4. Encouraged new operational farm techniques- ‘no-till’ farming- cut crops high on
stalk and the remains are left to rot into a mat of organic material. Next year’s crop is
planted directly into the mat, retaining more nutrients into the soil. This avoids
erosion, saves inputs such as watering, spares equipment/machines, cuts fuel
expenditure and promotes less use of carbon.

OTHER PROBLEMS IN BRAZIL:

-Disparity between giant operations and inefficient smallholder farms
- Environmental degradation- pollution, clearing of land, soil erosion and exhaustion,
deforestation (all in the Amazon rainforest)