Farmers in Kwakwani may soon be benefitting from government’s assistance to further their agricultural pursuits as promised by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.
According to a Ministry of Agriculture press release yesterday, the minister pledged the government’s support to restore agriculture during a series of meetings with farmers from Kwakwani on Tuesday.
Kwakwani which is located along the Berbice River in Region Ten, is generally known for logging and agriculture, and also for its agricultural potential and outputs.
During a meeting at the Kwakwani workers’ club, several farmers who engaged the minister said that they were passionate about agriculture and the government’s investments but were in need of assistance to take their production to the “next level”.
One farmer present told the minister that her farm is constantly under attack by Acoushi ants and cattle that are owned by other farmers in the community.
“You can be asleep and by the time you get up in the morning the ‘druggers’ (Acoushi ants) gone with all your produce. If is not the druggers, is the cows. People loosing their cows and it coming into my garden and eating out my things and I am not the only farmer this is happening to,” the farmer lamented.
Another farmer told the minister of her intention to get into agro-processing. She explained that after selling her produce, the surplus is often dumped because she has no market for it. She also expressed a desire to learn how to produce soaps and other commodities.
And yet another farmer at the meeting told the minister that many farmers in the community needed technical knowledge and financing to expand.
In response to their concerns, Mustapha informed that a programme has been implemented where farmers from hinterland communities are now able to benefit from free Acoushi ant bait.
“This programme has been in place since I became Minister of Agriculture and you will also benefit. I will also make ten bongo pumps and chemicals available to the community to assist with managing the Acoushi ants. You will also receive planting materials to assist with expanding your cultivation.”
Regarding concerns raised by farmers about cattle in the community, Mustapha said that the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will work with the community to develop lands to house cattle.
“We want to develop the cattle industry but this cannot be to the detriment of the other sectors. So, through the GLDA, we’ll identify and develop 100 acres for cattle in the community. We’ll fence it so that the cattle cannot go into your farms and destroy your crops. We’re also promoting agro-processing. One farmer said she wanted to get involved in the production of soap and other commodities so, very soon, officers from the New GMC will come and do some training. They will also assist with finding markets for your crops and agro-processed products.”
Farmers seeking financial assistance were encouraged to submit applications to the Small Business Bureau in order to access grants to expand their farms. Mustapha also promised to engage officials from Demerara Bank Limited to see how banking services can be extended to the community. The farmers present were also given seeds, chemicals, gardening tools, and other agricultural inputs. The release noted that teams from the various agencies are expected to return to the community in the coming weeks to deliver on commitments made by the minister.
The Agriculture Minister also told the gathering that assistance will be given to the agricultural science department at the Kwakwani Secondary School.
“I’m happy to see so many students in attendance. This shows that young people are excited about agriculture. So, to help those writing CSEC exams, we’ll donate a shadehouse to the school’s agriculture science department. Officers from NAREI will set it up and provide the planting materials to get started. We’ll also donate six piglets to the school from the GLDA.”
