This week we journeyed to Mahaicony in the Mahaica-Berbice Region. Stories by Margaret Burke.

GENERATIONS of farmers in the central Mahaicony community have seen farming as a business worth the while for decades. And it provides a decent and economically feasible form of employment and these days it is not just the ‘back-breaking’ — sweating until one is shine — and barely-make-it type of job.

In fact, according to Gloria Adams, “Farming does pay.” She added that she grew up seeing her parents, grandparents and even her great-grandparents farming and making a success of it and so it was not a difficult thing for her to do the same.

“I have been in farming for as long as I can remember, since completing primary school. I woke up seeing farming, since my parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents were farmers. In fact, my great grandmother was a rice farmer,” she said.

She went on to explain that she came from a very large family – three sisters and nine brothers, making a total of 12 children for her parents in the home. She stated that she is the eldest and that all of the 12 children have become successful farmers. She, however, noted that a few of her siblings are currently out of Guyana, but that up to the time when they left the country they were still farming.

Adams demonstrated that she indeed had complete knowledge of what she learnt in primary school and admitted that some people would ask her if she was a teacher. However, she went on to become a respected leader within her community – being the Chairperson for the Central Mahaicony-Perth Farmers’ Association.

Positive influence
Adams noted that as a result of all the farming being done by her and many of her family members, the younger members of the family as their major economic activity and they are also very pleased with the results, since they are also enjoying it and doing well.

Their farming activities comprise rice cultivation, a wide variety ofcash crops, fruits, vegetables, ground provisions, dried coconuts and coconut water, fishing and even hunting. Many of the farmers are also engaged in large-scale livestock farming of poultry, pig – the swine and bovine species; sheep, goats, cows and donkeys.

Adams told the Pepperpot Magazine that efforts are also being made by farmers to broaden their horizons, especially in relation to adopting new measures that would ensure greater value-added profits. She posited that though there are some challenges and sometimes numerous adjustments that have to be made from time to time, these are not discouraging farmers, who over the years of farming have become quite comfortable with the adaptations that they have to make.

The pig farm
A large part of her farming is the rearing of chickens and pigs and Adams says that she enjoys this aspect of her work. In fact, she explained that after receiving training in ham-and-sausage making from an international team who came to Guyana, she has been able to excel in the end-products coming from pork, which is the ham and sausages. “I learnt well and then applied my knowledge and skill in the making of the ham and sausages and today many people feel that I have the best,” she said cheerfully.

She was however quick to point out that as members of the Central Mahaicony-Perth Farmers’ Association, many of the other women also benefitted from external training in the making of ham and sausages and have also done very well. This, she noted, has helped the other women to move away from just farming, but branch off into areas of using value-added products, processing, marketing and other services.

Adams told the Pepperpot Magazine that her intention is to always give back to her community; that it is her determination to make certain that her community is one in which there is always progress and success. She added that it is not only for herself that she works, but also for every member of her family, the group she represents, and also the community as a whole. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)