The Rupununi Livestock Producers Association (RLPA) was formed in the early 1970’s by a group of ranchers in the Rupununi Region to help support and sustain the livestock industry. It represents ranchers, village herds and smallholders alike.
Where is the Rupununi?
The Rupununi Region also known as Region 9 - Upper-Takutu-Upper Essequibo is located in the south of Guyana South America and is the largest geographical Region in the country. The area is often referred to as “the Rupununi”, after the river that runs through the entire Region from the Deep South, connecting to the Essequibo to the
north of this Region.
The RLPA recently revitalized its role in representing the interests of the local livestock producers in Region 9. The main object of the RLPA is to lobby, encourage and promote improvement in the production of the livestock industry and partnering with relevant institutions to progress the interest of members. This includes supporting and coordinating the development of holistic and sustainable approaches to pasture development and management within the landscape’s environmental limits, breed improvement, improved animal husbandry and marketing opportunities for local livestock producers.
This would only be possible with the collaboration of stakeholders.
The RLPA is also responsible for coordinating the selection of the Rupununi Rodeo Committee who is responsible for the planning and executing of the annual Rupununi Rodeo which takes place during the Easter weekend at the Tripple "R" Rodeo ground near the town of Lethem.
In recent years, the RLPA has been charged by the RDC with the responsibility of managing the abattoir in Lethem, which we are working towards having better systems emplace in collaboration with RDC, Regional Health Department, Police, GLDA and other stakeholders.
Our members come from all across the Rupununi from a wide cross of people from the South Central, Central, North Rupununi and Karasabai.
Currently the RLPA is being supported by the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme (SWM) to implement a livestock component plan for the Region.
Become a part of the RLPA community. Register with us by downloading our membership form and filling it out. You can submit the filled form at our office or via email.
The SWM Programme in Guyana is part of the SWM global Programme, a major international initiative working to improve food security and the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife forest, savannah, and wetland environments in 15 countries of which Guyana is a part of, specifically the Rupununi Region. This is a five (5) year project (2018-2023), funded by the European Union and implemented by GWCMC (nationally) and CIFOR (internationally).
In 2019 RLPA as the local grass roots organisation promoting livestock in the Rupununi was identified to implement the Livestock Component of the SWM Programme in Guyana. The livestock component of the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme aims to explore, through meaningful interventions, to what extent improved access to domesticated livestock reduces pressured on wildlife as a source of meat, and whether improving the viability of livestock production makes livestock more attractive than wild-meat as a source of income. The objectives of the livestock component of the SWM (Guyana) programme are: (1) Ensure people in the Rupununi have improved access to a domesticated source of animal protein that they can afford (food security), (2) Increased incomes for people in the Rupununi who rear livestock for sale, (3) Livestock rearing in the Rupununi is done within the landscape’s environmental limits (limits).
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