Improving Agricultural Market Performance:
Creation and Development of Market Institutions
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market-based system for provision of agricultural inputs, the GES also led to attraction of over
US$5 billion in new investment commitments for fertilizer production.
Guyana Agriculture Research and Development Board
The two most important crops in Guyana are rice and sugar, and each subsector has dedicated
institutions. For all other agriculture activities, the main market institutions are:
1. The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), under the Ministry of Agriculture,
whose functions are to advise on, and develop, appropriate systems to promote
balanced, diversified and sustained agricultural development and optimize agricultural
production through adaptive and investigative research; and to facilitate the use of
improved production technology by agricultural producers, and establish adequate
feedback systems for them in order to achieve and maintain national self-sufficiency
and export capacities in food and fiber.
2. The National Dairy Development Programme (NDDP) was established in 1984, with a
mandate to achieve national self-sufficiency in fresh milk by 1988. Subsequently, its
mandate was expanded to include development of the cattle industry and the
production and export of dairy, beef, and beef products.
3. The original Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) was created in 1963. The
Corporation operated like marketing boards in many developing countries at the time.
It bought all farm products offered to it at a predetermined price, and then sold the
produce to consumers at various outlets and from trucks going from house to house. It
incurred substantial losses from these activities, and in 1985 it ceased all buying and
selling operations, and exercised a new mandate to provide market facilitation
services to the private sector for the export of non-traditional agricultural produce,
facilitate local market development, develop and disseminate post-harvest technology,
conduct market research and provide market intelligence services to farmers. In 1997,
it resumed buying farmers' produce, but at prices negotiated directly with them.
a. GMC has a Technology Transfer Unit, which develops and provides training on
grading, storage, packaging and transportation requirements for quality
produce; promotes the production of non-traditional crops for the export
market; assists and advises on documentary requirements and standards for
exporting perishables; and provides market extension services.
b. GMC also has a Commercial/Market Policy Unit, the aims of which are to
provide a one-stop documentation service for exporters of agricultural
produce; carry out market research for the private sector for a fee; make
available certain kinds of approved packaging for exporting produce; and
advise the Government on agricultural marketing policy for non-traditional
produce.
4. In addition, there are the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), the Regional Educational
Programme for Animal Health Assistants (REPAHA), the Agriculture Faculty of the
University of Guyana, and Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), which are
meant to be an institutional structure through which plans and decisions regarding the