Berbice Non-Governmental Organisation, St Francis Community Developers has been given the go-ahead to construct a fish feed factory and a tilapia and hassar nursery at their Port Mourant, Corentyne, complex. At a special gathering on Tuesday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture George Jervis pledged the ministry’s full support in Region 6 in preparing several earthen ponds and providing a Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) consultant specialised in spawning tilapia and hassar.
The expansion of the St Francis aquaculture farm seeks to fulfill the need for fresh fish on the local market. Currently tilapia is being imported from Suriname.
Apart from the multimillion- dollar tilapia and agriculture farm, which had received funding from the Australian Government, the NGO also manages a tilapia farm and agriculture plot at New Amsterdam and Limlair, another Corentyne location.
As a result of these initiatives which has impacted the lives of ordinary citizens, President David Granger, during a visit to the St Francis Community Developers on the occasion of their 29th anniversary, remarked that the organisation has a decisive role to play in promoting development within communities.
This NGO, which has won five international awards, was recently identified and documented as a best practice organisation in the region by the Commonwealth Youth Programme.