“I am very dissatisfied with NAREI’s performance in Region 6” – Agri Minister

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has expressed his dissatisfaction over the way the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has been performing in parts of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
NAREI is the premier organisation responsible for spearheading agricultural research and extension activities for productivity enhancement and diversification of the non- traditional crops sector (fruits and vegetables), bio fuel development as well as for plant quarantine services.
The Institute should be engaged in adaptive research that focuses on improving crop production/productivity for enhanced food security and rural development.
During a recent engagement at Bushlot, Corentyne farmers complained of issues they are having with certain crops and while they would have engaged NAREI, no assistance has been provided.
One farmer told the minister that an officer from NAREI had taken a sample of soil last year for testing and the results never came back.
When questioned, the officer claimed that the sample was sent to the lab but the results never came back.
While ensuring that the agency would be acting in a more professional way, Mustapha said the agency is there to assist the farmers.
“I am very dissatisfied with how NAREI has been performing in this part of the region. If the officers are saying that they sent down information… I will have to meet with the person who is in charge of NAREI to deal with those issues. They have to be more responsive. The president himself is very passionate about agriculture because we see agriculture as one of the more important sectors of not the most important sector,” Mustapha said.
He pointed out that one of the goals is to increase production of the crops Guyana has been producing for centuries but if we continue like this we can’t,” he added.
One farmer, Richard Budhu, who grows vegetables at Number 51 Village said when his tomato plants are about to bear, the flowers fall off and the plants die.
“I spray everything that I know and they just die. I can’t even get back the money for the seeds,” he said noting that other vegetables are not affected.
Another farmer, Leslie Dorway who plants at Friendship Village said the egg-plants, bora and okra he tries to cultivate are being affected by an unknown disease.
“I am not getting any solution for this disease.”
Mustapha noted that from the National Budget, NAREI is receiving large sums. “We are buying a lot of resources for NAREI. We are giving free chemicals; we are giving all of the planting material free. I don’t know why people in this area are not getting those facilities,” the agriculture minister questioned. (G4)