THE facilitation of easier access to fertiliser and other agriculture inputs through the establishment of a supplies bond at Ebini waterfront were among assurances offered to farmers of the Berbice River communities of DeVeldt, Sand Hills, Kimbia, Ebini, Wiruni and Ciruni on a recent visit by Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder.

Minister Holder, during the outreach to the riverine communities, was also accompanied by local representative of the International Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Wilmot Garnett.

Other members of the minister’s team included Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, Nigel Cumberbatch; CEO of the National Agriculture Research Institute, Dr. Oudho Homenauth; and Chief Technical Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis.

At DeVeldt, a community of some 1000 residents, farmers there spoke of the many challenges they face with access to markets for their produce, which mainly consists of pumpkins, pineapples, some amount of plantains and bananas.

Speaking with the ministerial team at the DeVeldt Primary School, pumpkin farmer Max Lindie lamented that thousands of pounds of pumpkins are left to spoil due to the unavailability of markets for the vegetable.

He said a lack of markets for farmers produce in the Berbice River is just one of many problems residents face on a daily basis.

Lindie pointed out that since the river boat was removed from service to Berbice River communities, it has been hard going, with private boat operators charging as much as $6,000 per person to transport them to New Amsterdam.

The lack of drainage and irrigation infrastructure, along with the absence of a functioning telephone service in the communities of the Berbice River, was also raised by residents at the DeVeldt meeting.

Farmers said the Berbice River communities have been neglected in terms of the pace of development for more than two decades.

In responding to the concerns raised by the DeVeldt community, Minister Holder first addressed the issue of no markets for pumpkin, pointing out that all across Guyana, pumpkins usually attract very low prices and is in such large supply that it has to be generally uneconomical as a crop of choice.

He urged diversification to non-traditional crops such as ginger, turmeric and black pepper, which attract much better prices and are always in major demand.
The agriculture minister urged the farmers to practice market-led agriculture, one in which the farmer first avails himself of information on what the market requires and tailoring his cultivation to suit those demands.

CLOSER LINKAGES
Minister Holder disclosed that he has already put in place systems in which the new Guyana Marketing Corporation will be establishing closer linkages with farmers, providing them with market intelligence and offering contracts for the supply of specific produce on a weekly or monthly basis as the case may be.

Additionally, the minister committed the support of the various agencies of the Agriculture Ministry such as the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) for farmers of DeVeldt and other communities in the Berbice River.

In this regard, the minister told farmers that NAREI can provide support by way of seed stock and seedlings, as well as diagnostic assistance for whatever problems they may be facing on their farms.

GLDA, he said, can avail interested farmers of the black giant chickens, a dual purpose bird that can lay up to 200 eggs per year. They can also provide the technical support that will be critical to the success of any such venture.

“Government’s approach to treating with the marketing problems of farmers across Guyana is that it has to be a holistic one; one in which all issues are addressed in a systematic way,” Holder said.

He explained that in coming to the various communities to purchase produce in fulfilment of contracts, farmers would have to sign on with the new GMC.

Farmers, he said, could expect that the GMC would be bringing in much-needed supplies of fertiliser, limestone or whatever agricultural inputs and supplies are required and it will be sold to them at cost.

He noted, “Such an arrangement would save you the added cost of travelling to New Amsterdam or Georgetown for supplies and then having to pay additional monies to transport those supplies back to your communities.”

To further ease the acquisition costs of agricultural inputs, Minister Holder promised his ministry’s help in the establishment of a supply bond at Ebini, where fertilisers, agro chemicals and other key inputs could be stored and made available to the farmers of the riverine communities at cost.

The agriculture minister also addressed the issue of improving telecommunications infrastructure in the riverine communities, pointing to the e-governance programme which has seen the Ministry of Public Telecommunications establishing Internet hubs in communities across the country.

He assured the residents that he will be making representation to colleague minister, Cathy Hughes, with a view to having the community benefit under the programme.