Govt to launch homestead agri programme targeting single mothers

– commercial banks to provide financing package

President Dr Irfaan Ali has signaled the impending launch of a bold homestead agriculture programme that will see single mothers being provided with low-income homes that will come with permanent crops and shade houses, maximising their earning potential and aiding Guyana’s food security agenda.
The President was at the time speaking during the launch of the Regional Economic Agri-Insurance Programme (REAP), where he also referenced plans for establishing a regional data facility that would be directly linked with farmers and allow them to make more informed farming decisions, through the use of technology.

“We’re now moving a step ahead. How do we integrate livelihood programmes with the technology? So, we’re launching the first homestead agriculture programme, especially with single mothers. And what we’re doing? We’re building a low-income home. We’re getting the banks; the government already subsidises the low-income housing.”
“We’ll get the banks to finance a package that includes the low-income home. We’ll have solar panels to power these homes. So, it reduces their cost of energy and then, we’ll have at the front of the homes where people would normally plant a few trees, permanent crops that would give them revenue, four to five years from now.”
According to President Ali, this bold initiative will tackle several issues at once, including home ownership, building community wealth, and food security.
“If we have five coconut plants, hybrid coconut plants in a year, that will give you yield in three years, you will be surprised to see the value it creates. And then at the back of the yard, we’ll put a small shade house that is dedicated,” the Head of State outlined.
“So, you’ll have 500 homes on 100 acres of land. And 500 shade houses, dedicated to specific products that we linked to the market. And when you reap and get the value, (you’ll be able) to repay that low-income loan every month. So, this is how we’re going to integrate the livelihood programme with technology and home ownership.”
Only recently, the government launched a programme that would see 100 acres of land being offered to young people who have either completed studies or are currently pursuing studies at the University of Guyana (UG) and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) to work on farmsteads and develop agri-based businesses.
The initiative, which would be spearheaded by the Agriculture Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), was announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali.

The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) would also be a partner in this project, which would come on stream in six weeks’ time and would provide the opportunity for agriculture students to relocate to farms along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
In fact, the government is already in talks with commercial banks to develop financing options in regard to this project. According to President Ali, it is envisioned that the students would cultivate crops such as breadfruit, coconut, and red beans sustainably, and be able to combat some of the effects of climate change.
Such an initiative comes at a time when the demand for food in the poultry, aquaculture and cash crop sectors continues to rise, even though Guyana has experienced exponential growth in its agriculture sector over the last four years.
With this expanded programme, the government is targeting at least 500 farmsteads. Additionally, the government will seek to link the production from these 500 farmsteads to a market.
“Within 6 weeks, we are hoping to start that program, so some of you will also be deployed on that programme, and this programme will target the improvement of life for single mothers and single parents especially, so that they can have also an opportunity,” the Head of State had explained.