Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy says plans are currently in train to change the farming sector countrywide from one that promotes subsistence living to one that will generate wealth for the nation.
“For too long communities have been given an agenda from persons outside of Guyana who promote agriculture only for subsistence living. The PPP/C has had enough. We want to see agriculture developed not only to feed our people but to generate wealth,” he told Region One residents at a recent meeting. A Government Information Agency (GINA) report, Ramsammy and a team visited the Mabaruma Sub-Region from August 24-26 to outline the plan. He told residents that preparations are being made to introduce the plan in all ten administrative regions and sub-regions and he gave an outline of all the issues to be addressed before it can be realised.
“We see it as an entrepreneurship and an enterprise. Farmers are not peasants but business people,” he added, explaining that the focus will not only be crop production but adding value to the said crops.
Chairman of the MMA/ADA Rudolph Gajraj and Permanent Secretary at the ministry George Jervis have been tasked with preparing the plan for Region One and are expected to submit same by month end. Jervis will also be coordinating a similar arrangement in Region Nine.
Teams will travel to the various communities countrywide to identify the opportunities and use “the resources of the Ministry to add value and to certify farms to have access to the international market,” Ramsammy said. The ministry will also identify ways that farmers can utilise the opportunities provided through the LCDS, including easier access to funding, to expand their businesses.
