GIVEN that agriculture is one of the main contributors to the country’s economy, continued efforts are on, ensuring the growth and expansion of the sector.
To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture remains committed to engaging farmers on confronting challenges affecting the development and expansion of the various sectors of the industry. And so Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Alli Baksh, Monday met and engaged cash crop farmers of East Bank Essequibo, Region 3, and implored them to form themselves into groups for prioritising and addressing salient issues affecting their farming practices and crop production.
Minister Baksh met with farmers of Hubu and surrounding communities at the home of a Hubu farmer, and engaged the Parika Back, Naamryck, and Ruby farmers at the Parika Back Primary School. The minister was accompanied by Regional Vice Chairman, Region 3, Azam Mohamed; General Manager, New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), Nizam Hassan; and personnel from the ministry and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA.)
The minister told the farmers that forming collective groups allows them the opportunity to access support for their agricultural difficulties through Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs.)
“Form yourselves into legally registered groups … and have a better opportunity to access things that are necessary,” Minister Baksh advised. Farmers forming co-ops will pave the way for them to access financial and other agricultural support that government may not be able to supply in a timely manner, because of constraints or other obligations.
“The state can only help you to a point… but if you want to have more assistance, there are Non Governmental Organisations… that will help you, if you are well organised and your activities are well planned,” he advised.
Minister Baksh also stressed the need for farmers to help maintain the drainage interventions implemented by the government and other agricultural agencies.
He made this remark after hearing of farmers’ concerns over the upkeep of drainage and irrigation infrastructure in the communities.
Government continues to spend millions yearly to make possible these systems, and farmers refusing to properly maintain and use these facilities results in further expenses incurred by the government for repair and maintenance.
“Many times when we do these things, there is the hope that people will do some things to help themselves by maintaining these systems, because we can’t do everything,” the minister  said.
He assured the farmers that government is cognizant of the issues affecting them and is also aware of the importance of agriculture in the country.
Government will continue to effect the necessary interventions to ensure the growth of the industry, even as it battles the tremendous and imposing impact of the unpredictable weather condition, a result of the changing global climate.