Persaud underscores importance of MMA/ADA, farmers partnership
SCORES of people, primary farmers, were afforded an insight into its operations when the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) staged an Open Day and Exhibition at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, yesterday. The event was one of several activities scheduled for Agriculture Month, being observed under the theme ‘Fighting Global Hunger through Agricultural Diversification’.
Display booths set up by MMA/ADA stakeholders, as well as Agriculture Ministry agencies, including the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), were on Bath Community Centre ground.
Among the exhibitors were cash crop, fruit and vegetable farmers who concurred that the response was good and some indicated they did well with sales.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, who declared the show open, emphasised that the host agency and farmers must work in closer collaboration for the good of the sector.
He said MMA/ADA requires the full support of the farmers and other stakeholders and explained that the infrastructure it provided is key to success of agriculture.
Mr. Persaud said it is important for there to be a ‘buy in’ by farmers as it relates to the work MMA/ADA undertakes, otherwise there will be problems.
He challenged the agency to ensure that it encourages that through interaction and said farmers ought to be involved in the efforts being advanced by MMA/ADA, be informed before any works begin, so that there can be support on both sides and the project being undertaken could be completed in the best possible manner.
Persaud demanded that the approach of the MMA/ADA change, to incorporate consultations among stakeholders and engagement of farmers at all times.
“This will better the services provided by the MMA/ADA,” he posited.
Persaud said, overall, the MMA/ADA supports nearly half of the national rice production, between 30 and 35 per cent of all livestock (mostly cattle) production and a range 10 to 15 per cent of national sugar production.
Continuing to underscore the importance of partnership, he also appealed to farmers to make sure they pay their dues.

Massive sums
He said any lapse in that regard caused the Government to infuse massive sums into the much needed work for which that the MMA/ADA is responsible.
Persaud acknowledged that there are weaknesses in what the MMA/ADA does but reiterated the necessity for partnership and noted that farmers play an important part in identifying and assisting in having them addressed.
Invited to comment, General Manager of MMA/ADA, Mr. Aubrey Charles said working together advances the agriculture sector, more particularly, serving to improve production and reduce its costs.
“This means more money in the farmers’ pockets and the betterment of their lives, which is what we want,” he said.
Charles said the aim of the Open Day and Exhibition was to give farmers and other stakeholders a better understanding of the work MMA/ADA does and enlightens them on a number of issues, such as how to make applications for State lands for agriculture purposes.
He reported that the response from persons in the Bath Settlement area was encouraging and the occasion was used to present leases to several farmers, including the Headteacher of Bush Lot Secondary School, Mrs. Catherine Beaton.
She said it was blessing that would help students studying agriculture, as there is limited space available at the school for practical agricultural work to be done.