MINISTER within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Alli Baksh interacted with scores of farmers and fisherfolks at his open day forum in the Regional Boardroom at Anna Regina,  on Essequibo Coast yesterday. In his remarks to them, he said Government is pushing to develop the agriculture and fishing industries and some 5,000 acres of virgin land, aback Huis t’Dieren and Aurora are, currently, being developed to boost the ‘Grow More Food’ drive.
Baksh also informed his audience that the Government has acquired new machines and will, soon, give the Region Two (Pomerooon/Supenaam) Administration a pontoon and two long boom excavators to desilt sluice channels whenever necessary.
Responding to Deputy Toshoa of Mainstay, Mr. Joel Fredericks, the Minister said organic farming is the way to go and congratulated farmers of Mainstay/Whyaka for expanding their cultivation of pineapples.
Several other farmers also raised issues concerning the drainage and irrigation (D&I) system in the Region, title for land, upgrading of dams and timely payments for rice farmers.
Minister Baksh, in response to the issues, said Government is spending millions of dollars every year to upgrade the D&I network, not only in Region Two but across the country.
Replying to former Region Two Vice-Chairman, Mr. Heeralall Mohan’s call for more mechanical pumps to be set up along the Coast to quickly drain water off the land during the rainy season, the Minister said Government will place two huge ones, at Lima and another area to improve drainage on the Coast.
Baksh said the pumps have been ordered from India and the first is expected in July while the second will arrive in October/November, both in  this year.
Following his Open Day engagement, the Minister visited the Guyana School of Agriculture branch where he spoke with students, too.
He toured the school’s agricultural plot, inspected the newly constructed swine and sheep pens and handed over a new tractor and mobile pumps to the institution.
Baksh encouraged students to study hard and take agriculture seriously.