Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has pledged his Government’s support to farmers in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) to ensure the sustainability of their livelihoods. The support will come in the form of equipment and supplies.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
The Minister made these comments on Sunday afternoon during an outreach exercise to three major farming communities in the region. He was accompanied by a technical team including representatives from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute and others.
Minister Mustapha said the exercise is one of the many initiatives taken by the Ministry to close the gap in the sector.
Some of the farmers at a meeting on Sunday
“The Agriculture sector will get better in this region and the country as a whole through this initiative of meeting and listening to you to close the gap of deficiency in the sector…The economy will surely be rejuvenated to create jobs and other opportunities for the Guyanese,” the Agriculture Minister said.
Farmers then raised concerns about the need for proper irrigation and drainage systems, plans for cash crops, the improvement of rice farms, installation of streetlights and land rental rates. The Minister assured the residents that the relevant officials will address these matters within the week. He also noted that this could only be achieved through a collaborative effort between the farmers and Government officials.
Minister Mustapha assured them that the PPP/C Government intends to fulfil its manifesto promises despite the Ministry’s limited financial resources.
It was noted that the land rental rates and drainage and irrigation costs will be restored to the original 2014 agreement as a way to put more money in the pockets of the farmers.
Meanwhile, the Minister gave similar assurances to farmers of the Dantzig community, Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five) following a community meeting. He empathised with them over past losses due to flooding and committed to seeking guidance on the matter.
“We all know that saltwater can be quite damaging to one’s farm and so I cannot promise you anything as a Minister because there needs to be some technical testing to find out whether you can continue to farm in this area in the future. So my technical team will be [here] within the week to do so and then I can make a decision on our step forward,” the Minister said.
Minister Mustapha also announced that food hampers will be distributed to the community soon.
Other stakeholders who attended the outreach included representatives from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and the Guyana Rice Development Board.
