Under Guyana's Agriculture Ministry's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), 603 shade houses were built between 2021 and 2024. President Irfaan Ali launched this initiative in 2021 to encourage youth involvement in agriculture.
Shade houses are structures covered with a material, such as mesh or netting, that provides partial shade while still allowing sunlight, air, and rain to reach the plants inside. They protect crops from harsh weather conditions like strong sunlight, wind, and heavy rain while creating a controlled environment for better plant growth.
Guyana uses shade houses to grow valuable crops throughout the year. These include vegetables like lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, sweet peppers, and tomatoes. Herbs cultivated are celery, cilantro, parsley, mint, basil, chives, dill, coriander, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, sage, oregano, and thyme. The country also grows hot peppers, such as bull nose and tiger teeth, mainly for export.
Shade houses help ensure consistent food production and extend the growing seasons, improving food security and reducing the need for imported goods. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, shared during a recent press conference that 219 shade houses were constructed in 2024 alone. Beneficiaries included farming groups and government agencies.
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