Project
The Development of the Peanut Sector for Guyana and Selected Caribbean Countries
Details
Project Code:
UF155
Start Date:
2008/01/01
End Date:
2012
CRSP Phase:
Phase 3
Budget:
$120,000
Participants
Lead University:
University of Florida
Other Partners:
Beacon Foundation, Rainforest Guesthouse
Principal Investigator(s):
Greg MacDonald
Co-Principal Investigator(s):
Robert Kemerait
Links
Overview
The goal of this project is to address the limitations in peanut production in Guyana and selected Caribbean countries. In Guyana, the goal in the Rupununi region is to advance upon the existing technologies adopted and utilized by the growers during the past 5 year Peanut CRSP project (UFL 52). Focus areas will include primary production, harvesting, storage, quality assurance and aflatoxin. Two complementary goals will also be part of the project. One goal will be to assess the social changes occurring at the village level. These changes are a direct result of the development of the cottage industries. The second complementary goal will be to assess the environmental impact, including ecological transition after peanut production, of the slash and burn production system.
Objectives
1. Primary production enhancement in the Rupununi will be addressed through a number of mechanisms. Continued variety introduction and selection will be implemented as component of on-farm trials. Improvements in pest (weed, disease and insect) control will be performed in on-farm trials. Improvements in fertility, especially as it relates to peanut quality, will also be addressed." 2. To address increased planting and harvest efficiency, two primary items will be introduced. The first will be the introduction of a manually operated peanut sheller, which has been demonstrated in the region. This has been accomplished through cooperative work with Fully Belly project. 3. Storage facilities will be standardized for villages in the primary peanut growing areas, including those villages that currently possess a cottage industry. The primary will be to establish protocols for: 1) bagging at the on-farm level prior to storage (including moisture content); 2) inventory of individual farmer peanuts; 3) insect control during storage; and 4) aflatoxin and other peanut quality assessment. It is envisioned that storage facilities will be established/upgraded through this . 4. Quality parameters will focus on aflatoxin content in peanut at the field, storage, and processing level. A quality assurance protocol will be developed for peanut processing that includes sanitation, proper attire, equipment cleaning, and appropriate peanut and peanut product storage. This will build upon previous assurance protocols developed for the cottage industries. 5. This will assess the social implications of increased peanut production and the associated processing industries in certain villages. These assessments will take place within the Rupununi region, where these changes have occurred over the past 5 years. 6. Slash and burn continues to be a common practice in the south Rupununi region. The is to better understand the ecological dynamics of deforestation, peanut production and subsequent forest recovery. 7. This is the over-arching for s 1 through 6. It satisfies those s detailed for the Rupununi region of Guyana. The purpose of this is to provide a cumulative cost assessment for this region. 8. This will address primary peanut production issues in selected Caribbean countries. This is multi-faceted, but seeks to 1) assess current practices; 2) initiate on-farm research demonstrations to improve exisiting production; and 3) transfer information on the best management practices available to growers. This will occur on a country or regional basis.
Outcomes
Coming soon
