The agriculture ministry on Tuesday handed over agro-chemicals and fertilizers to the Amerindian affairs ministry as it continues to focus on boosting food production, particularly in the hinterland area.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud handed over seeds, Farmer’s Manuals, acoushi ant bait and corn to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai for distribution to hinterland farmers. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the items are part of the government’s support package to combat the current global food price increase. The presentation was made at the agriculture ministry’s Vlissengen Road and Regent Street office.
In the hinterland, focus is being placed on agricultural production for self-sufficiency to ensure adequate food supplies, reduce residents’ cost of living and improve livelihoods.
Persaud said statistics have shown that it costs about $150,000 to transport food to Lethem, Region Nine, by truck. The ongoing ‘Grow more’ initiative seeks to address this constraint and hinterland farmers are being encouraged to expand crop cultivation and livestock rearing. In order to realise these ventures, the residents are being given the necessary assistance.
One issue affecting hinterland agriculture which will be targeted in the campaign is control of the acoushi ants. Chemicals were provided to control the pests and the cultivation programme is expected to promote the types of crops and livestock activities that are feasible based on the soil and other resources. Meanwhile, Sukhai pledged her commitment to support the ongoing ‘Grow more’ campaign. She was grateful that the ministry set up measures to address the acoushi ant problem.
According to GINA, government has implemented a US$20M Agricultural Export Diversification Programme that seeks to increase the country’s export growth rate and reduce its volatility. It is also pursuing the Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development Pro-gramme that focuses on increasing market opportunities available to small-scale producers.
This programme targets increased capacity of rural producers to efficiently and effectively produce and market non-traditional products and develop small scale enterprises.
