Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday met with farmers from Enterprise, Bare Root, and other surrounding communities along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to discuss developmental plans for the sector.
During the meetings, farmers commended the government for the work done so far to develop Guyana’s agriculture industry and sought the ministry’s assistance with projects to expand and further develop their activities.
Farmers from Bare Root disclosed that there are hundreds of acres of land available in the backlands for farming but the lack of access and critical infrastructure were preventing them from utilizing those lands. Farmers also made requests for a series of drainage and irrigation works to be done within the current cultivation areas.
Minister Mustapha while responding to the issues raised said the Ministry would work with the farmers to promote integrated farms in the area. This, he explained, would see farmers benefiting from assistance to do crops and livestock farming simultaneously.
“We have to look at ways to fully utilize all of the lands you are using now. If we are serious about producing on a large scale, we need to adopt integrated farming. That way you can plant and rear livestock simultaneously. With that, you will be able to maximize production,” Minister Mustapha explained.
He also said that the ministry would work to have the necessary infrastructural work done so that farmers would have better drainage as well as access to new lands in the backlands.
“We’ll do all the drainage for you. A team from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will be back here in the week to do an assessment and then we’ll start those works. When those works are completed, once farmers can identify their plots, we’ll assist you with preparing those lands to do farming. Through the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) , we’ll make planting materials available to you, free of cost,” the minister said.
Minister Mustapha also committed to assisting the community with a mobile pump to assist with irrigation needs. He also told farmers that the ministry will work to find lucrative markets for their produce through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation.
Meanwhile, during the meeting at Enterprise, farmers sought clarity about the ongoing housing development projects and how these activities would impact their cultivation.
Minister Mustapha noted that while developing new housing schemes for citizens forms part of the government’s overall developmental agenda, he reassured farmers that agriculture will not be neglected.
A team comprising extension officers from NAREI, the Guyana Livestock and Development Authority and NDIA are also expected to meet with farmers from the community in the coming days.
Minister Mustapha was accompanied by several senior officers from within the ministry as well as community representatives.
