ACQUISITION of 10,000 acres of land in Guyana for use by Trinidadian farmers is in keeping with the Jagdeo Initiative, Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said in a recent interview.
Dr. Ramsammy also stated that citizens of Trinidad will now be joining Guyana’s ‘Grow More Food Campaign,’ formulated under the Jagdeo Initiative to promote the growing of food locally with the major aim being to reduce the local and regional food importation bill.
“The Grow More Food campaign which started in 2008 was to ensure that Guyana grows more of the food that we need, and rely less on having to procure food from outside, but also, more importantly, for people to get engaged in producing their own food,” he explained.
Another element of that campaign was to increase Guyana’s production of not only the major export products like rice and sugar, but to increase the export of fruits and vegetables, among other products.
“We have been taking this programme forward, the Jagdeo Initiative included all those mandates,” he said.
Ramsammy added that as part of that initiative, not only are Guyanese being encouraged to grow more food for export, but other Caribbean countries which may have a constraint in terms of land, are also being encouraged.
“We have the land and they can invest in our country so that the Caribbean can meet our own food needs and that the Caribbean can export outside of our region,” he noted.
The minister related that this has been a topic of discussion when Trinidadian Ministers, Devant Maharaj and Jairam Seemungal had visited Guyana, and since then several technical teams have also visited.
He pointed out that the Trinidadian government has announced a facility within their budget that would support Trinidadian farmers taking up lands in Guyana.
He advised that Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago have since signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MUU), agreeing that the Government of Guyana will provide the Government of Trinidad with 10,000 acres of land.
Ramsammy noted that earlier this year, the two governments had agreed to the broad dimensions of the MOU, but all the arrangements have only recently been concluded.
However, he stressed that this does not mean that the Trinidadian government will come and utilise that land, but rather that government intends to mobilise Trinidadian farmers who will work along with Guyanese to develop food which Trinidad presently imports from outside of the Caribbean region.
He noted that all foods produced on Guyana’s land will be Guyana’s produce and calculated in Guyana’s exports. This, he stressed, is in keeping with the Jagdeo Initiative since it will help Guyana to increase its exports, while also helping Trinidad and Tobago to ensure that it reduces its food imports from outside of the Caribbean, which is also one of its objectives.
The minister added, though, that Trinidadian farmers will have the opportunity to be engaged in a wealth generation activity.
He also stated that they have not agreed on a specific location where the land will be given to the Trinidadian farmers.
However, he emphasised that several technical teams have been visiting Guyana since last year and have visited a number of sites. He said now that it is up to the two governments to decide on a suitable site.
