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BUDGET 2013 has seen a significant increase in the allocation for agriculture diversification, substantiating government’s commitment to promoting increasing levels of production in the non-traditional sectors. Whereas in 2012, $1B was allocated for agriculture diversification, for 2013, a significant $1.9B has been budgeted, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said while presenting the 2013 National Budget under the theme “Overcoming Challenges Together, Accelerating Gains for Guyana,” on March 25 in the National Assembly.
The 2013 allocation, he explained, covers a range of interventions inclusive of creation and implementation of new legislations, as well as strengthening the infrastructure to support and guide the sector.
New regulations for fisheries, traceability of both crops and livestock, and animal welfare, all necessary criteria, in order to fulfil international trade requirements are among the several legislative initiatives that will be undertaken in 2013, Minister Singh said, in order to ensure that an adequate regulatory framework is established to guide and support the advancement of agriculture diversification in Guyana.
The commencement of the clearing of the Aurora Land in Region 2, in preparation for livestock rearing, and production of rice, citrus and other vegetables, the certifying of sustainable fishing practices, in an effort to qualify for higher export prices, and the commencement of production for export at the newly established tilapia farms, with a view to significantly increasing tilapia production, are among other interventions that will come on stream in 2013, the minister said.
Support for diversification in the sector will also come from strengthening of infrastructure, inclusive of a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory that will be constructed at Mon Repos. Additional drainage works will be undertaken at the Canals Polder, and a hatchery to increase production of ducklings will be established, the minister said.
Efforts will be directed toward building the human resource base in order to benefit from Guyana’s full potential to accelerate agricultural development.
During the course of the year, training in aquaculture production will be imparted to 250 persons nationwide, and local specialists will benefit from training in seed technology and germplasm development.
There are also plans to expand the Santa Fe farm to cultivation of more rice, soya beans and cow peas, and rearing of cattle, sheep and goats, and to include permanent fruits and large scale aquaculture, and to mainly export these products to Brazil, where the technology that is being used to develop the farm originated.
The finance minister explained further that $500M is to be allocated to fund the establishment of a farmers’ fertiliser and planting material facility which will ensure access to quality planting materials and other inputs, including fertiliser and enhanced extension services, an intervention that will boost and strengthen food production and target more than 3,000 farmers. This intervention is also set to reinvigorate the highly successful Grow More Food campaign, he said.
In 2012, as it relates to efforts to advance the diversification and modernisation of the sector, Minister Singh explained that in the area of rural enterprises and agriculture development, 40 producer groups completed business plans for their respective ventures, and an initial tranche of $62M was made available to a private sector micro-credit partner to support the implementation of those plans that qualified for financing.
As for the fisheries sector, emphasis was placed for the first time on developing large-scale, commercial, export-oriented tilapia farms; and in livestock, work continued on diversification in an effort to improve the genetic pool of cattle and thus enhance the quality of meat for domestic and international markets.
The completion of the genetic bank and the artificial insemination laboratory, the undertaking of rehabilitation works at the breeding station at Mon Repos, and completion of the quarantine checkpoints at St. Ignatius and Mabura were among the infrastructure efforts facilitated in support of the sector in 2012. (GINA)
The 2013 allocation, he explained, covers a range of interventions inclusive of creation and implementation of new legislations, as well as strengthening the infrastructure to support and guide the sector.
New regulations for fisheries, traceability of both crops and livestock, and animal welfare, all necessary criteria, in order to fulfil international trade requirements are among the several legislative initiatives that will be undertaken in 2013, Minister Singh said, in order to ensure that an adequate regulatory framework is established to guide and support the advancement of agriculture diversification in Guyana.
The commencement of the clearing of the Aurora Land in Region 2, in preparation for livestock rearing, and production of rice, citrus and other vegetables, the certifying of sustainable fishing practices, in an effort to qualify for higher export prices, and the commencement of production for export at the newly established tilapia farms, with a view to significantly increasing tilapia production, are among other interventions that will come on stream in 2013, the minister said.
Support for diversification in the sector will also come from strengthening of infrastructure, inclusive of a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory that will be constructed at Mon Repos. Additional drainage works will be undertaken at the Canals Polder, and a hatchery to increase production of ducklings will be established, the minister said.
Efforts will be directed toward building the human resource base in order to benefit from Guyana’s full potential to accelerate agricultural development.
During the course of the year, training in aquaculture production will be imparted to 250 persons nationwide, and local specialists will benefit from training in seed technology and germplasm development.
There are also plans to expand the Santa Fe farm to cultivation of more rice, soya beans and cow peas, and rearing of cattle, sheep and goats, and to include permanent fruits and large scale aquaculture, and to mainly export these products to Brazil, where the technology that is being used to develop the farm originated.
The finance minister explained further that $500M is to be allocated to fund the establishment of a farmers’ fertiliser and planting material facility which will ensure access to quality planting materials and other inputs, including fertiliser and enhanced extension services, an intervention that will boost and strengthen food production and target more than 3,000 farmers. This intervention is also set to reinvigorate the highly successful Grow More Food campaign, he said.
In 2012, as it relates to efforts to advance the diversification and modernisation of the sector, Minister Singh explained that in the area of rural enterprises and agriculture development, 40 producer groups completed business plans for their respective ventures, and an initial tranche of $62M was made available to a private sector micro-credit partner to support the implementation of those plans that qualified for financing.
As for the fisheries sector, emphasis was placed for the first time on developing large-scale, commercial, export-oriented tilapia farms; and in livestock, work continued on diversification in an effort to improve the genetic pool of cattle and thus enhance the quality of meat for domestic and international markets.
The completion of the genetic bank and the artificial insemination laboratory, the undertaking of rehabilitation works at the breeding station at Mon Repos, and completion of the quarantine checkpoints at St. Ignatius and Mabura were among the infrastructure efforts facilitated in support of the sector in 2012. (GINA)
