UNDP to plug $300M into making Fyrish “bread basket” of Guyana

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is investing some 0 million towards making Fyrish village, Lower Corentyne Coast in East Berbice/Corentyne the bread basket of Guyana.

The Fyrish/Gibraltar Farmers Association, which was formed in February, has already gotten the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and UNDP on board in its drive to make the villages of Gibraltar, Courtland, Number One and Fyrish the main agriculture-producing area in the country. Before Black Bush Polder was developed in 1951, Fyrish was considered the food basket of the country.

The Association, which has 30 members, including six women, aiming to have the area reclaim its title as the country’s bread basket, has approached the NDIA to assist with the re-digging of canals. That project is more than fifty per cent completed. The NDIA has approached the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in an effort to provide the area with an adequate supply of water all year round, and is soon to complete re-digging of the canals.

And the UNDP has come on board as part of a pilot project to establish resilience towards a sustainable livelihood in farming communities. The project is a joint effort with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in partnership with the Agriculture Ministry.

On Wednesday, a team from the UNDP and NDIA visited the project. UNDP’s Programme Analyst Chika Ohashi explained that the organisation is trying to allow farming communities to have all available information on climate change and warning messages issued by the Hydrometeorological Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. This, she said, should result in better planning for farmers in accordance with climate information.

The project at Fyrish is being considered a pilot project.

Meanwhile, Committee Member of the Association, Derrick Hector, noted that even though some farmers have continued to cultivate the land, there is need for NDIA’s intervention.

Among the things that the UNDP will be funding, is fencing the close to 200 acres of land which will be utilised by the farmers. This, they say, will prevent animals from entering the farm lands. The community is also equipped with cattle pastures, but those are not segregated from the housing community.