By Staff Writer
Following a series of interventions to reduce the burdens placed on the backs of farmers by the coalition regime, the PPP/C Administration will, in 2022, be able to execute maintenance projects in the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary-Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA) at a fraction of what was spent last year.
This was disclosed by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha while responding to questions posed by the political opposition during the consideration of budget estimates and expenditure last Tuesday morning.
When questioned on why there was a significant decrease in the Authority’s allocated amount of government funding to execute maintenance works, Minister Mustapha explained that the agency which is the largest agriculture-producing scheme in the country, is in a better position financially to fund some of the projects that form part of its 2022 work programme.
“When we took office in 2020, the entire drainage system in MMA was clogged up. All of the canals were clogged up. The first time I went to Cabinet as Minister, I requested $90 million to carry out emergency works in the MMA scheme. Since then, over 1,500 miles of canals and drains have been cleaned. Added to that, with the reduction in cost for land rentals and drainage and irrigation charges from $15,000 to $3,500 (per acre) the farmers from the MMA scheme have been saving more and paying their fees,” the Minister disclosed.
He was keen to note that this intervention by government has fostered a better relationship with the farmers, thus resulting in higher revenue collection. “This is why we are now in a position where we can give fewer subventions to MMA,” Minister Mustapha said.
While elaborating on this achievement of the Authority, Minister Mustapha said that it was important to develop a sound partnership with the beneficiaries in order to enhance the services offered in the scheme.
In 2021, $307 million was budgeted under this particular line item, whereas in 2022, only $154 million was sought for the programme – representing a 50% reduction.
Back in October 2020, the MMA – ADA had received $98 million to conduct urgent repairs on its infrastructure, including drainage and dams. The sum catered for the execution of works to clear agricultural land in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), which consisted of 252 drains.The project benefited approximately 96,000 acres of rice land in the area and over 2300 farmers, families within the Abary-Berbice and the Mahaica-Mahaicony block.
As it relates to land rentals and drainage and irrigation charges, one of the immediate interventions of the government saw farmers nationwide benefiting from a reduction of their land rental and D&I fees from $15,000 per acre to $3,500 per acre.
Following the announcement of the massive increase back in January 2017, farmers took to the streets in protest, expressing their dissatisfaction with the decision of the then Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder and the APNU/AFC government to increase the rental fee from $3500 to $15,000. They had bemoaned the fact that this increase was made without any consultation with farmers or the body which represents them, the Rice Producers’ Association.
