Issues affecting Region 2 farmers to be resolved – VP assures

Issues affecting farmers of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) will be resolved in phrases Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has assured.
He made this commitment during a community meeting held at the Anna Regina Secondary School’s Auditorium on Tuesday, after engaging famers about pressing issues affecting them in the agricultural sector.

A prevalent issue among the rice farmers was the infestation of paddy bugs, however, the Vice President explained that the matter will be reported to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), who is tasked with distributing chemicals to all the farmers.
Additionally, Jagdeo reminded that over $1 billion was allocated in 2023 and the sum of $2.4 billion was made available in this year’s National Budget to cater for environmental management, which includes eliminating insect infestation, reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable agricultural practices, among others.
On this point, he underscored Government’s commitment to further developing the rice industry and tripling yield. This is in keeping with the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) goal to achieve vision 25 by 2025.

Further, the Vice- President pledged support for cash crop farmers who were severely affected by heavy downpours in the May/June rainy season. Relief would include materials to build shade houses, and other forms of agricultural inputs.
The cash crop farmers were also encouraged by the Vice-President to visit the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute’s (NAREI) nursery in Charity to access a variety of grafted fruit plants.
With these items, the farmers are urged to grow high-demand crops, such as red beans, given that government is putting plans in place to invest in processing facilities once production levels are met.
“We need the production first before the processing, so if you plant, we will invest with you…We will gather pathway workers in the areas… those who are working at the shade houses. We will let people come over and train them to graft plants to improve plant quality and productivity,” Jagdeo stated.
Farmers in Region Two are actively participating in the development of Guyana’s agriculture sector and regional goals aimed at reducing the food import bill.
In fact, due to their proactiveness Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha back in March informed farmers from the community of Darthmouth that government will be investing heavily in the advancement of agriculture in the region this year.
This will see farmers benefitting from the provision of lucrative crops such as wheat, bananas, coconuts, coffee, cocoa, citrus fruits, pepper, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, nutmeg and onions.
The Minister also hinted interest to construct a hydroponics farm similar to the one at the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, in the region.
“When you talk about Essequibo Coast and you’re on the Corentyne you think about rice only. So, we have to change those perceptions, we have to do new things…continue to do that but bring in new activities…we can work with you here, you get land, the sea water, the river water, make it into brackish water and get the shrimp because the larva comes in from the sea,” Minister Mustapha said back in March.
He added that his ministry is also willing to foster collaborations between local small, medium and large-scale farmers and regional as well as international partners.
“We are seeing lots of investments coming in the country and you here in Essequibo Coast also have those opportunities. What we are doing, we are trying to link investors with farmers in Guyana, so you have the land, you have the asset, and they bring the finance and you work together to try to develop your plots,” the agriculture minister explained.