FARMERS in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) can expect a significant increase in the availability of agricultural lands under legitimate titles this year.Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA), Dr Ken Sealey said this has always been a priority activity since the Board took over, but their work had been slowed considerably by a tremendous backlog of applications, which had been allowed to accumulate under the previous administration.

In a recent comment on the issue, Sealey said: “Numerous leases were signed by the General Manager, but were never signed by the then Minister of Agriculture.

“That’s the kind of situation we had to deal with. Scores of applications had to be taken through the entire process again.”
He added: “This Board is aware of the increasing demand for land for agricultural activity in Region 5, and our aim is to make lands available to legitimate applicants, so they can expand their production and productivity towards a good life.”

Noting that agricultural lands have been identified for distribution in all three of the geographical sub-divsions of the Region, namely between the Berbice and Abary Rivers, the Abary and Mahaicony Rivers and the Mahaicony and Mahaica Rivers, Dr Sealy said:
“We distributed several leases to farmers to mark the Golden Jubilee celebrations, and the momentum will continue.”

The emphasis at the moment, he said, is on clearing the huge backlog, to the extent that several more 50-year leases are to be handed over to farmers within a month.

In a comment, too, General Manager, Aubrey Charles said that the MMA is working assiduously to provide leases to residents between the Mahaica and Mahaicony Rivers by year-end and continuing.

“We had meetings at Belmont and Perseverance villages, and the surveys to demarcate the boundaries of the land have been completed.
“Unfortunately, we did not get to finalise the leases, but I average that within a few weeks, farmers in Belmont and Perseverance will receive their 50-year leases,” Charles said.
“That will be a good start for this area since the process will be continuous for the benefit of the neighboring villagers,” he added.
Dr Sealey said that it is generally known that Region 5 has one of the largest acreages of rice under cultivation. The Region also supports 30 to 35 per cent of all livestock (mostly cattle) production, and 10-15 per cent of national sugar production.

“The work of farmers, be it cash-crop or rice,” he said, “continues to be a significant contributor to the country’s economy, and without the allocation of lands, there can be no production.”

He added that the thrust by the current Board of Directors and Management will facilitate the rapid expansion of agricultural production and productivity within the Region for the benefit of its farmers and the country as a whole.