THE Food For The Poor (FFTP) has donated agricultural supplies to agricultural groups as they seek to promote diversification during Agriculture Month.

According to Senior Project Manager, Andrea Benjamin, “FFTP has been supporting the agricultural sector in Guyana for a number of years and [this year] we have patterned our support in recognition of diversification.”

With this agenda, the organisation reached out to smaller farming groups and six were beneficiaries: five from Region Three and one from Region Four. The Guyana Apicultural Society also received supplies as part of the push to foster diversification in the agricultural industry.

“We want farmers to start looking at alternative sources of income other than cash crop cultivation [and] we’re also looking at mechanisation, equipping farmers with the necessary equipment so that they can make farming easier,” Benjamin explained.

Cognisant that farming is always considered a very labourious activity, the organisation actively sought to donate equipment that were more mechanical in nature so that farmers would be able to make their work easier and production would be boosted.

“In terms of alleviating poverty, agriculture is very important,” Benjamin also noted while adding that poverty reduction is a mandate of the FFTP, and as such, the organisation will continue to support the agricultural sector.

Representative from Region Three, Jermaine Davids, said the good gesture will help farmers to alleviate whatever hardship they are going through.

And since the dry season will be coming soon, Davids said he is appreciative of anything that will make work easier.

Vice-Chairman of the Guyana Apicultural Society, Linden Stewart, also expressed gratitude for the donation.

“It came in a very timely manner because this is the season where the honey flow starts and many beekeepers would have been looking to borrow extractors from other beekeepers.”