The Ministry of Agriculture on Saturday launched its Agriculture Improvement Support Programme and sixteen Region Nine villages have been given aid to the tune of $22m.
The programme is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development under the ministry’s Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Development (HESAD) Project, a release from the ministry said.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha launched the programme in St. Ignatius, (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
Farmers from the villages of Shulinab, Meriwau, Sandcreek, Awarenau, Mururanau, Rupanau, Katoonarib, Baitoon, Potarinau, Quiko, Parikwarinau, Aishalton, Shea, Baitoon, Taushida and Koshebai (South Pakaraimas) benefited from breeding bulls and boars to improve their villages’ genetic material; cassava sticks; coconut seedlings; shadehouse materials; a tractor and implements which included a cassava planter, harrow, a disc plough and an All Terrain Vehicle.
The release said that the ministry also signed a contract with the Sand Creek Village Council valued at $4 million for the implementation of a cassava germplasm bank and the supply of farm tools support for the region.
Mustapha said that the inputs resulted from a commitment made by President Irfaan Ali during an outreach to the region last August.
“The President came to Region Nine to ensure we develop this very important sector. He met with the farmers and listened to their needs. He made several commitments and today we are here to deliver on those commitments because when this government makes a commitment, we always deliver on it. The agriculture sector is the only sector that can ensure a country has food security. As a government, we are aiming to be a net exporter of food and become the centre of production in this part of the hemisphere, especially in the Caribbean. We believe that Region Nine has the potential to produce more and make a valuable contribution to our national production goals,” the minister said.
