— focussed on maximising production, says Min. Holder

SOME Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) farmers are complaining that the land fees and charges imposed for drainage and irrigation by the Mahaica/Mahaicony/ Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) are too exorbitant.

But Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder, has said that the intention of the MMA/ADA is simply to maximise the potential of the region.

Minister Holder spoke to the Guyana Chronicle at the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) compound, where a government outreach was organised for various ministers in the government to be able to interact with members of the public.

One farmer, of Number 30 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), preferred not to give his correct name, but said everyone knows him as ‘Cow Boy.’ He is contending that the MMA has suddenly taken away land from him, which he had been using for a number of years to care for his cows.

“I paid up to 2017 for the land, and when I went to pay last year, they (MMA) said they won’t take money because they will take back the land. They said that I have too much land,” ‘Cow Boy’ recalled. However, he insists that the amount of land he has to work with is not adequate for him to care for all of his animals.

Rice farmer, Basil Bazilio, of Number 28 Village, WCB, also referred to the challenges farmers are experiencing with the MMA, in terms of the rates being charged. He said he knew of others who are complaining that the rates are exorbitant, and that he personally believes that they are about $5,000 too high.

Minister Holder offered, though, that since the establishment of the MMA/ADA, the productivity of the region has increased tremendously. “MMA is not taking away land. The sole idea is to maximise production in this area. MMA’s interest is to lease as much of the land as possible for agriculture,” he said.

The minister explained that people must pay for the land because it is from land rent and charges for drainage and irrigation that MMA is able to finance itself. “People must pay for the land; they must not squat on the land because when they do that, MMA gets no income.”

He said the income is needed to maintain the 738 miles of drainage canals, along with hydraulic machines, etc. “So it’s a massive undertaking,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Bazilio, who was mentioned earlier, observed that the drainage and irrigation canals are now being cleaned, after having been blocked up for a number of years. “So they’re getting a lot of relief in this area. The dams are what need to be done now; they need better dams. They need to shape the dams and grade them.”

RICE PRODUCTION

Bazilio observed that the region is doing very well with rice production and that the yields have increased over the past two years. For instance, he said a new variety of rice on the market has been yielding about 40 bags on average per acre.

This rice farmer believes that the government can continue to help rice farmers by looking to see how it can cut costs on fuel, along with fertilisers and other chemicals.
Minister Holder reminded that Region Five currently produces 45 per cent of the nation’s rice and has the largest number of cattle in the entire country. The region is probably the most productive agricultural region, he posited.

“The rice sector, nationally, is doing pretty well. This country exports about US$348M of agricultural products and rice accounts for US$200M of that. It’s our number one export crop. In fact, rice production has gone up from about 20-25 bags per acre, to now 37-40 bags per acre. From this last crop, I was quite pleased,” he expressed.

BETRAYAL

Chairman of Bath Cattle Farmers Association Keith Dhanraj, who himself is a farmer, has been representing cattle farmers since the 1970s.

He told this publication that the farmers are facing a number of problems when it comes to protecting their animals because certain systems are not in place to prevent stealing and so forth. “So we are in a struggle with the thieves,” he said.

According to him, the farmers would like to be granted individual plots of land to care for their animals so as to minimise thievery and overcrowding on a particular space.
Dhanraj said this issue was raised under the previous administration, which failed to do anything about it. “This was the attitude of the past administration; very betraying.

They betrayed their own people… and only pretended like they love people; they didn’t. They had the opportunity to do it, and they never did. When they put us on the land and it was time to uplift the documents, they said the documents were burned in MMA’s office.”

Meanwhile, Minister Holder informed that a number of new pumps will be installed across the country, including four in Region Four, in order to boost drainage and irrigation.