The Caribbean Local Economic Development (CARILED) programme is supporting the launch of the Canal Green Initiative Project in Region Three which aims to demonstrate the application and use of greenhouse technology to grow vegetables, herbs and seasoning.
CARILED is aiding in the construction of three greenhouse facilities and “will be providing the Region Three farmers with training, aimed at highlighting cost effective and efficient farming techniques that when applied will not only reduce the high cost of production but improve the quality of yield for the local farmers,” a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. CARILED is executing the project with support from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the Region Three Democratic Council, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Guyana School of Agriculture. The latter two agencies will provide support for the training aspect of the project.
At a press briefing on Friday, Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Collin Croal, said that two of the three greenhouses are near completion. This project and the Friendship Swine Development Project, another CARILED supported imitative are both expected to be completed in October. The Friendship Swine Development Project for pig rearers of Land of Canaan, Region Four aims to teach the famers to use integrated farming techniques to increase production and pork quality for domestic and export markets. Construction of the swine facility for the project was expected to start yesterday and finish next month. The training workshops for the farmers, conducted in collaboration with the Guyana Swine Production Cooperative Society, the Institute of Private Enterprise Development and IICA are also set to begin.
According to GINA, farmers of Mara, Region Six and Tapakuma, Region Two are also benefiting from similar CARILED interventions. Through the programme, US$94,500 was plugged into the launch of the Mara Agricultural Enhancement Project which has two components: the provision of a multipurpose mini excavator for installation and maintenance of all drains and irrigation canals and the preparation of farming land in the community, and training farmers to operate and maintain machinery, good agriculture practices, small farm management, low cost production techniques and post – harvest capacity building. This project was commissioned on July 21.
The Tapakuma Women’s Agricultural Diversification Project (TWADP) which focuses on increasing agricultural production and diversification cost a total of US$42,000. It covers a number of activities including the procurement of several pieces of equipment like the 45hp John Deere tractor with plough, four chain saws (in varying sizes) and four knapsack sprayers with accessories inclusive of sprayers oil and filters. It also covered capacity building training seminars in small farm management, farm accounting and improved agriculture practices (including handling of food post-harvest). This project was commissioned on July 30.
CARILED is a six-year funded programme by the Canadian Government that focuses on fostering and improving local economic development in the Caribbean. The programme is currently in its first phase and has been introduced in seven Caribbean countries including Guyana where it is being implemented in rural communities in these four regions.
