Around 225 women have received a one-off cash grant provided by the government and the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) to help them to generate economic opportunities.
A release yesterday from the United Nations Guyana said that approximately US$79,000 was distributed to the 225 women for an average of around $73,700 per person.
The release said that the Government of Guyana, through its National Pathway for Food Systems Transformation, is strategically poised to bolster rural livelihoods. In alignment with this national endeavour, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the WFP have extended their support through the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund, facilitating the government’s drive to expand social protection.
As part of this initiative, farm input supplies and the one-time cash grant were offered to smallholder farmers and participants of ongoing socio-economic empowerment programmes throughout the country. The project was coordinated by the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator to foster coherence and collaboration between the two UN agencies.
In an effort with the WFP, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security distributed the cash grant to participants engaged in the Women Innovation and Investment Programme (WIIN), or the ‘WIIN in Business’ initiative. The release said that this initiative is designed to empower women and girls by equipping them with the requisite knowledge and skills to boost their economic participation in their respective communities.
As a component of the programme, the Ministry conducted a workshop focused on business skills development, imparting practical competencies such as drafting business plans, networking, and finance procurement. Encouraged to devise proposals for income-generating activities, the participants subsequently received a cash grant from the Ministry, supported by the WFP, to address their immediate needs and guide their proposed ventures. Approximately US$79,000 was distributed among 225 participants nationwide.
“With the cash grant money, I will seek to expand my business,” declared a 46-year-old female from Region 3. Another participant, a 31-year-old from Region 4, expressed gratitude, stating, “I am thankful for the cash grant which will enable me to start the business earlier than anticipated”, the release said.
Besides providing cash assistance, the WFP also offered technical aid and support in programme lifecycle management, specifically in areas such as vulnerability assessment and mapping, among other areas.
For its part, the FAO, with the support of the National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute, the Guyana Rice Development Board and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, conducted a two-day workshop. This event was tailored to equip farmers with knowledge on new and cost-effective feed and fertilizer alternatives, thereby boosting production and productivity. The workshop was attended by approximately 19 farmers from 17 communities and 23 extension officers from five coastal regions, the release said.
Norman Alves, a farmer of cash crop, rice and ground provision, stated, “This training was exciting; I learned how to fertilize crops in the rainy season by digging and placing them under the soil. I also learned how to use compost tea to enhance plant growth and how to use remains from my cassava and sweet potato crops to make animal feed.”
The majority of participants at the workshop were female farmers and extension officers, followed by young farmers. Jaikumarie Persaud, a Livestock and Cash Crop Farmer, commended the training, saying, “The training provided was excellent. …. I learned a lot and received my certificate. I was able to use the 4 R’s (Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place) in my farm and share these techniques with my farming group.”
The Joint SDG Fund supports countries to accelerate their progress towards meeting the various goals.
