The Guyana School of Agriculture last month received a brand new multipurpose agro processing facility funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
The facility, known as the Mon Repos Processing Plant, is located in the compound of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute in Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
According to a CDB press release, the processing plant will empower over 90 rural farmers to achieve new levels of success, benefiting the communities of Ithaca, Buxton/Friendship, Beterver-wagting/Triumph, and Mocha. With an investment of US$665,000, the facility aims to address the challenge of food spoilage and wastage exacerbated by climate change and fluctuating market demands.
The CDB statement said that the facility will allow “for continuous production lines of passion fruit, pepper pulp, and herbal tea. This initiative, with support from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, and the Guyana School of Agriculture, extends beyond bricks, mortar and steel; it’s about empowerment. It’s about equipping farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in an ever-changing world, through meticulous training and capacity-building.”
According to the statement, the Mon Repos Processing and Packaging Facility is another example of the far-reaching benefits the bank’s Special Development Fund projects are providing for citizens and communities across the region.
