BURMA, Mahaicony — Guyana on Wednesday launched its first nano-technology fertiliser, a product expected to improve rice yields and lower input costs across the country’s multi-billion-dollar rice industry.
The launch, held at the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Research Station in Burma, Region 5, marked what officials described as a significant leap toward modernising local agriculture and cutting reliance on imported fertilisers. The new product, known as nano-urea, uses microscopic nutrient particles designed to be absorbed more efficiently by plants, allowing for smaller quantities and fewer environmental side-effects.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the introduction signals “a new era in rice cultivation,” stressing the need for innovation in traditional farming systems.
“This investment will do a number of things for the rice industry,” Mustapha said. “We have to change our culture and the way we do things to ensure greater efficiency and sustainability.”
The nano-fertiliser was developed through a 2022 collaboration between the GRDB and India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), which has supported similar trials across Asia. Guyana’s early pilot projects tested formulations such as nano-boron and nano-NPK, with promising results in Regions Two and Five showing higher yields and reduced fertiliser use per acre.
The GRDB said nationwide workshops will train farmers on proper handling and application as part of its wider push to adopt precision agriculture practices.