Youths encouraged to return to Baracara

… Agri Ministry to set up businesses for young people

Young people who would have migrated from the riverine community of Baracara because of a lack of job opportunities are being encouraged to return to the community situated 80 kilometers up the Canje River, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha threw out the challenge on Sunday when he led a team of officials from his Ministry to the community.
He said they could have innovative ways of doing agriculture which would be less labour-intensive and also focus on high-value crops.
The minister announced that he would build six shade houses in the community and supply the hot pepper plants so that young people who are willing to form themselves into groups can manage.
According to the minister, under the programme the New Guyana Marketing Corporation will find markets for the peppers and all of the profits will go toward those young people in the group.
During the visit, the Minister handed over quantities of several types of seeds. He also handed over more than 5000 plantain suckers to the community along with red beans.
“When the land is cleared, you will have to utilize it. Now this brings me to the point of planting material, we know for a fact that you all suffer tremendously in the dry weather. The president directed that we should grow a lot of red beans here. We want 400 acres of red beans; we have a market for that. We brought in some today and we will give you all the red beans to plant… we want you all to cultivate 400 acres of red beans. We have the market already for it. You can’t expect to plant things that you are not getting markets for. That is why sometimes your produce is left back,” he told the residents.
During the meeting, residents highlighted some of the issues affecting them.
Glenton LaFleur told the minister that weather patterns have been creating challenges for them as farmers. He said it is 130 acres of land they have for cultivation purposes and currently they need tubes to assist water to get two miles inland.
LaFlour also noted the need to cultivate both long-term and short-term crops and called on the minister to assist with planting material. He said they would be grateful if the ministry could assist with 30,000 plantain suckers.
He also noted the need for a drying facility noting that on occasions they had to dump plantains because of a lack of markets.
That facility he pointed would assist the farmers to add value to their produce.
The community also wants to extend its ginger and turmeric production and took the opportunity to ask for assistance.
He also pointed to some assistance to get into rice production.
The minister after listening to the residents, most of whom are farmers noted that President Dr Irfaan Ali when he visited the community a year ago, made several promises all of which were fulfilled.
“There was no canal and you said you wanted a canal, and we built a canal now there is another demand that you want the water to remain in the canal. What we will do is build a control structure to control the flow of water. The contract has already been awarded and the contractor will start work very shortly.”
Almost $25M will be spent on constructing the new sluice at Baracara.
“We are not waiting for you all to make the request, we are doing it. We will extend the canal too so during the dry weather you will have enough water in the canal,” he added.
As it relates to the clearing of agricultural land, Mustapha explained that some of it has been awarded to a contractor while residents of the community will be hired to clear a portion. A total of 350 acres are to be cleared.
Among some of the other requests from residents were for the bull which was issued to the community by the ministry to be replaced. Residents say the bull went into the river and drowned. Additionally, they are requesting to have a trailer for the tractor that was supplied to them.
Both those requests Mustapha said will be granted.
Meanwhile, making mention of a previous request to have the playground upgraded the Minister said he was going to raise it with the subject Minister but expressed alarm that the Sports Minister had not addressed the issue.
He also said that he was going to raise two other issues which were raised with the education minister; those are the need for a kitchen to prepare meals for children under the school’s breakfast programme and also a literacy space to be established at the Baracara Primary School.
During his inaugural visit to the community one year ago, President Dr Irfaan Ali committed to assisting the residents.
The community has since infrastructural works totaling some $187 million.
The president had promised to restore agriculture in all of the farming communities along the Canje River. (G4)