A ministerial team including agriculture minister Robert Persaud told Region Three farmers that over $385M will be spent from Vergenoegen to Bonasika to improve irrigation and other structures and to rehabilitate 30 bridges.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the team on Saturday conducted a cabinet outreach in several communities including Naamryck/Parika Back, Windsor Forest, Den Amstel, Vive-La-Force, Patentia, Canals 1 and 2 Polder, Bagotville, Goed Fortuin, Philadelphia, Parika, Greenwich Park, Saint Lawrence, Morashee, Lower Bonasika, Western Hog Island, Richmond Hill, Leguan, and Kamuni/Potosi. During the visit farmers were also given an opportunity to voice concerns about issues affecting their livelihoods.
Persaud told residents that his ministry has been able to garner resources through engagements with international institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He said on its own government would not have been able to generate the resources immediately and as such it needed to find ways in which it can access resources to boost farming conditions. The minister also noted that diversification is one of the areas that government intends to make its focus as it recognises that farmers need to have a range of activities so that the agriculture sector can become more resilient. He noted too that while government is investing in the rice and sugar industry there is need for diversification in the sector.
“We are restructuring the traditional agriculture sector but at the same time we have not shifted the focus…we have deepened our work in the non-traditional sector,” Persaud said. He explained to residents that the diversification programme is informed by technical work which is market driven and that it will significantly change the landscape of agriculture. The agriculture diversification programme targets an increase in the export of non-traditional agricultural commodities. It aims at establishing services and institutions for a sustainable increase in the income derived from the export of non-traditional agricultural exports in the aquaculture, fruits and vegetables, and livestock sub-sectors such as beef, peppers, pumpkins, plantains and farm-grown fish, particularly tilapia.
Meanwhile, Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber updated residents about programmes his administration is undertaking. He said that the region has been maintaining trenches through manual cleaning and excavation works and it has also been doing road maintenance. Last year about $5M was spent on crusher run to upgrade roads. The region also plans to upgrade dams to improve access to farms and markets. “We have also looked at the two markets (Parika and Hydronie) to upgrade market facilities so that farmers can take their produce and have them sold,” he said. Faerber said too plans are in train for more excavation work in the areas so that farmers can have further relief.
National Drainage and Irrigation Authority CEO Lionel Wordsworth also outlined projects that the Authority had undertaken in 2009. He said that about 78% of works were completed for the rehabilitation of canals and drains over the last year. Senior Engineer at the Agriculture Sector Development Unit, Frederick Flatts, informed Naamryck/Parika back residents about ongoing projects in their community. He said that works in the area are being done under a US$20M project funded by the IDB.