Income and production of Guyana rural farm households; an analysis based on the 1979 Guyana rural farm household survey

To this end, the results of a survey of the income and production of Guyana"s rural farm households for the year 1978 as derived from interviews of individuals from 2,306 representative farm units, 2,284 of which were family farms, are presented in this report. To place survey results in their proper perspective, a preliminary analysis of the relationship between agriculture and Guyana"s national economic goals, as well as U.S. goals for foreign assistance, is provided. The main body of the report consists of a comparative analysis of the target (i.e., farmers most in need) and non-target groups with respect to their total income, household characteristics related to income, off-farm and farm sources of income, and the expenditures determining the farm portion of net income. The total capital used in terms of land, livestock, and machinery by both groups is also treated. Finally, the levels and efficiency of production, as well as economic returns between the two groups, are compared and their problems in supply and credit procurement are examined. Major findings of this report include: (1) four-fifths of rural farm households had annual incomes below Guyana"s target level for development assistance; (2) two-thirds of rural farm household income came from off-farm sources; (3) one-third of farm households reported difficulty in obtaining needed production and service inputs from indigenous sources and so often had to rely on imported inputs for rice production; (4) irrigation systems and conditions were better on non-target farms than on target farms. Based on these findings, the following basic program and policy directives aimed at raising rural farm income are set forth: (1) increasing government support for rural households; (2) encouraging farmers to increase the amount of land under cultivation; (3) improving on-farm water control, the use of imported agricultural inputs, and farm management; and (4) creating more opportunities for off-farm employment. Attached are specifications of derived variables used in the survey.