Mustapha announces major irrigation canal, support for rice farmers during Corentyne outreach

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, on Saturday, spearheaded an outreach across the Corentyne Coast, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where he met with residents and farmers from several villages.
At Crabwood Creek, during his meeting with those in attendance, he disclosed that work on the construction of a major irrigation canal from the Canje Creek to Crabwood Creek to provide reliable irrigation water for farmers in the area will commence next week.
He, however, addressed the multi-billion-dollar assistance package for rice farmers that was recently announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali during a meeting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

Minister Mustapha emphasised that the programme will be implemented with full transparency and accountability while explaining that the verification process will utilise records from the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).
Additionally, small committees have been established within the regional system to identify and verify the acreage cultivated by farmers. He said the verification exercise is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
Further, he told the farmers that systems are being developed through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) to secure markets for farmers’ produce, noting that extension officers are already engaging farmers and providing guidance on crops that are in demand and can be marketed more easily.
Meanwhile, over at Black Bush Polder, pesticide and toxic chemical storage cabinets were distributed to farmers as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to promote safe agricultural practices and protect communities.
At that meeting, the Minister disclosed that approximately $35 million will be expended to construct and distribute the cabinets to farmers across the scheme. He explained that every farmer in Black Bush Polder will benefit from the initiative, which forms part of a broader intervention aimed at ensuring that agricultural chemicals are stored in a safe and secure manner.
“Black Bush Polder is one of our largest agricultural communities, and we want to ensure that the chemicals used in farming are stored safely and responsibly. These cabinets are not only important for occupational safety and protecting families, but they also form part of our efforts to address the high rate of suicide in the community by reducing easy access to toxic substances,” Mustapha stated.
He further assured farmers that the Government remains committed to supporting agricultural communities through interventions that improve safety, productivity, and the overall well-being of residents.