Cattle farmers’ livelihood stymied by MMA-ADA’s eviction

…seek legal advice to file proceedings in High Court

The Mahaica Mahaicony Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) has evicted several cattle owners from lands in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), stymieing their livelihoods by issuing new leases to other stakeholders.
The area, located at Blairmont, covers 1360 acres and had been used by farmers to rear hundreds of cattle. These persons have been operating on the land for the past 30 years and throughout that time, applications were filed for lease documents to be granted.
However, the farmers received a notice from the agency earlier this year, indicating that they have to vacate the lands since new leases were issued to other persons, some of whom are not even cattle farmers. Without the lands, their daily operations are severely challenged.
Pooran Balmukund explained on Friday that a permit to conduct cattle grazing was also issued with the notice but upon visiting the agency, they were told this document was irrelevant. As such, it was mandatory for them to vacate.
“MMA just serve us a notice to remove from the land. They also give us a paper with permission to graze cattle. When we went at MMA, the paper had no value. They told us this don’t have no value anymore,” the man stated.
“I occupying that land for over 20 years…We occupy that land for so many years and we ain’t get an inch of land,” he added.
Another affected cattle rearer, Krishna Sookdeo, told this publication that they would constantly apply for leases to be granted. However, during the next engagement, the Authority would advise them to reapply since the documents could not be found. Receipts seen by <<<Guyana Times>>> demonstrated that payments were made by all the farmers for lease applications, some dating back years ago.
“I apply for the lease and when you go to MMA, they tell you that no, you didn’t make application and I always walk with my receipt. They ask why we didn’t make application and we tell them that we make application.”
Many of them cried that their only means of earning a livelihood is at stake. Generally, they would obtain milk from these animals, which are later sold to consumers using bicycles.
“This must affect our livelihoods because we depend on milk. That’s the work we’re doing for our livelihood. No other job we doing,” Persaud related.
Over the years, the farmers have developed the lands, establishing pastures and constructing fences around the property. It was explained that they have no vacant property to relocate the animals.
“Nowhere have vacant land anymore. We can’t carry all of our animals in the backyard. This is what we depend on. It’s from the backdam to the table,” Balmukund related.
Adding to that, 71-year-old Amar Nauth said if the animals are left on the roadway to graze, they would be impounded and released at a cost of some $10,000 for one.
“We can’t go nowhere. If you bring the cow at the road, they impound them and you got to pay $10,000 a head. Where you getting $10,000 to take out cow from the pound. You don’t make that money a week from milk.”

Legal Advice
The farmers have sought legal advice from Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall, where the matter will be challenged in the High Court. He contended that the MMA-ADA was established as a support mechanism for farmers and other agricultural workers. Instead, they have ousted rice farmers and skyrocketed fees which exceeds the financial capabilities of the common man.
The attorney asserted, “The MMA-ADA is an agency set up to facilitate farmers, to assist farmers not to hang them out. All MMA has been doing over the past four years is to oust rice farmers from their land [and] raise the rates and irrigation fees beyond the financial capabilities of the farmers. Now they are behind the cattle farmers.”
Nandlall reiterated that these farmers should have been granted leases since there is enough land to be distributed to all stakeholders.
“You have enough land to distribute to everybody. Why are you dispossessing these people of the land that they have occupied for so many years and giving it to someone else? Regularise their occupation and issue new leases for new sets of lands for the people who want more land. I don’t understand the policy of MMA,” he positioned.
Guyana Times had reported that the farmers were issued with a letter dated January 18, 2019, from MMA ordering them to vacate the land by February 1, 2019, and according to the notice, from that date, those animal farmers would have been deemed illegal.
Along with their removal, the men were also required to demolish all structures constructed on the property. Attempts were made to reach an agreement with the entity to no avail.