113 farmers get leases as decades-old Region 5 land dispute resolved

One hundred and thirteen farmers of Rampoor and surrounding communities in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) have received agricultural land leases.
The leases were distributed on Wednesday during the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) Open Day at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice (WCB).
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the issue had remained unresolved for decades, leaving farming families without security of tenure despite depending on the lands for their livelihoods.
He said resolving the matter required continued engagement with the affected farmers and finding a practical solution that would allow them to continue agricultural production.

Mustapha said the distribution of the leases was part of the Government’s wider efforts to support farmers and increase agricultural production.
According to the Minister, the increase in the national agriculture budget, saying that when he assumed office in 2020, the allocation for the sector was $18.5 billion, compared with $145 billion in 2026.
He also highlighted the reduction in drainage and irrigation rates from $15,000 to $3,500 per acre, which he said has reduced farmers’ costs.
Farmers, he said, are saving $11,500 annually for every acre cultivated as a result of the reduced rate.
He said a farmer cultivating 10 acres would therefore save $115,000 annually, while those cultivating 25, 50 and 100 acres would save $287,500, $575,000 and $1.15 million respectively.
Mustapha said the combined savings to farmers amount to approximately $1.6 billion annually.
He also raised concerns about the rental of Government-allotted agricultural lands at rates significantly higher than the Government’s own land rental charge.
He said the Government charges $3,500 per acre, while some persons who receive large parcels of land subsequently rent them to farmers for between $20,000 and $40,000 per acre.
The Minister said the Government was examining the issue, particularly given that land rental represents a significant component of farmers’ production costs.
On rice production, Mustapha said Government interventions had included a $300 subsidy per bag of paddy sold to millers during the two rice crops last year, along with assistance through fertiliser, seed paddy and agrochemicals.
He said rice production had increased from approximately 500,000 tonnes in 2020 to 810,000 tonnes last year, with a target of 827,000 tonnes for 2026.
However, Mustapha acknowledged the impact of declining international rice and grain prices on local farmers. He said the Government had intervened following a reduction in paddy prices from about $3,500 to $2,500 per bag.
He also outlined ongoing measures to address the effects of climate change, including prolonged dry periods and heavy rainfall that have affected farmers.
One of the major interventions in Region Five, he said, is the construction of high-level canals, including the Hopelite high-level canal, which is intended to carry excess water directly to the Atlantic Ocean.
According to Mustapha, embankment construction has already begun from Mahaicony to Ithaca to help keep backland water away from agricultural areas.
Similar high-level drainage interventions, the Minister noted, are being undertaken in Regions Three, Five and Six and are expected to make approximately 50,000 acres of additional land available for cultivation once completed.
Mustapha also announced plans to bring another 1,000 pregnant heifers from Brazil to improve the local cattle breed.
He said the Government has expanded its artificial insemination programme and has also started an embryo transplant programme, which he described as the first of its kind in Guyana.
The Minister further pointed to growth in poultry production, saying output increased from 41,000 metric tonnes in 2020 to 91,000 metric tonnes last year.
He said the Government is also introducing modern tunnel-ventilated poultry houses, with each facility capable of producing between 20,000 and 40,000 birds every six weeks and being managed by two persons.
The investments across the agriculture sector, Mustapha said, are intended to increase production while improving the economic position of farmers.
He urged farmers and others benefiting from Government support to ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries and contribute to increased production.