The US$21M Agriculture Export Diversification Programme, along with the US$6.9M Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development (READ) programme, will soon be expanded to Leguan, Wakenaam and Hogg Island in Region Three. A one-day seminar in two weeks’ time hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture will aim to find out possibilities for diversification. This was announced by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud when he visited two of these areas, Leguan and Wakenaam, yesterday.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud addressing Wakenaam residents.

Earlier in the year, READ and the Agriculture Diversification programmes were launched by the Ministry to build the capacity of small farmers and to encourage them to get more involved in diversification and livestock farming.

The initiative to host such a seminar is based on a larger plan by government to cushion and position farmers to deal with the effects of the global economic crisis. Minister Persaud said the seminar will provide a bottom-up approach to deal with such issues.

The idea of diversification was mooted by the late President Dr Cheddi Jagan who thought that farmers should not be interested in rice alone, but in other crops as well.

The READ project will look at opportunities from which small farmers can benefit.

According to Minister Persaud, these communities are not insulated from issues such as the world economic crisis, and much more emphasis is being placed by government on the island communities because of their vulnerability. The country as a whole is vulnerable since it depends on overseas inputs such as chemicals, fertiliser and feed. He said that the Ministry is contemplating using cassava as a feed in an effort to cut production cost.

Leguan residents at the meeting.

In 1991, Minister Persaud said, a decision was taken by the then government for Leguan residents to remove from the area due to the deplorable state of the sea defence. In 1992, when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government came to power, it stopped this process and began making interventions to provide a decent standard of living for residents. The private sector has also been responding by making necessary investments.

In Wakenaam, Minister Persaud noted that agriculture will ensure that the ship will not sink with regard to the global economic crisis and it will allow for Guyana to be food secure.

To aid rice farmers in these communities, Minister Persaud said, seed paddy will be provided by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) at $3,500 per bag instead of the normal $4,000.

The Ministry of Agriculture has been providing extension agents, veterinarians and training sessions for farmers to support them in capacity building. Training for farmers will focus on farm layout and crop selection.

On the issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) having to be paid for spare parts, Minister Persaud stated that there is a mechanism through the GRDB whereby rice farmers would not have to pay taxes for such. A development proposal could also be submitted to GO-INVEST after which farmers could benefit from duty-free equipment.

Two excavators are at the moment working in Leguan to improve the drainage and irrigation systems there. Other works to be conducted by the government through the region in Leguan for this year, include a sanitary block at Maryville costing $4M, a $5M revetment at Henrietta, a $1.5M sluice door at Success and rehabilitation of roads from De Witts to Henrietta, costing approximately $8.5M.

At Wakenaam, works include a $6M bridge at Zeelandia, rehabilitation of guest house and overseas quarters at a cost of approximately $4M and $1.6M respectively, rehabilitation of roads from Noitgedacht to Ridge, costing approximately $8M, and rehabilitation of a bridge at Sarah, costing approximately $1M.

Chief Executive Officer, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordworth, said there is a collaborative effort among NDIA, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the execution of the works programme for these areas.

He noted that tenders will be going out for the construction of a koker at Waterloo, Leguan. Of the 60, 000 rods of canals and dams of Leguan, 36, 000 have been completed by NDIA.(GINA)