More than 90 farmers, extension officers and members of academia from Regions Two, Five and Six are now better equipped to apply climate-smart agricultural practices following a series of training sessions on integrated crop production management and digital sensor systems under protected cultivation.
The initiative was conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).
Training began at the Mangrove Centre in Mon Repos on May 19. It continued in Regions Two, Five and Six with practical field sessions aimed to strengthen technical capacity. It was also to improve field-level application of greenhouse technologies.
Head of Special Projects at NAREI, Dr Ramnarace Sukhna, said the initiative lays the groundwork for expanding protected agriculture and digital technologies nationwide.
Protected cultivation systems, including greenhouses and shade houses, play an important role in advancing climate-smart agriculture in Guyana by improving productivity and crop quality, while helping farmers reduce climate-related risks.
An important feature of the training was the introduction of digital sensor technologies that support real-time monitoring of key environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, light intensity and nutrient levels. This allows more precise, data-driven crop management.
Extension Officer from Region Six, Alvin Prabudial, said the training provided valuable practical experience that can help advance greenhouse and shade house production in communities.
A member of the Mahaica Women’s Group, Debbie Argyle, described the training as impactful and said she intends to share the knowledge gained with members of her community.
Participants also received training in greenhouse climate and crop management, irrigation, fertigation, pest and disease prevention, and the installation and operation of monitoring systems.
Sensors procured under the project were installed at pilot greenhouses in Regions Two, Five and Six to support practical learning and field application.
Assistant FAO Representative for Guyana, Gitanjali Chandarpal, noted that integrating sensors and data-driven tools into greenhouse systems allows farmers and technical officers to make more informed decisions, improving productivity and resilience. [Department of Public Information]
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