–as NAREI equips employees with additional ATV, boat and engine

FARMERS in Region One (Barima-Waini) are now accessing enhanced extension services through a capacity-building initiative from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), which has equipped its employees in the region with an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and a boat and engine.
The institute has been working closely with ‘other-crop’ farmers to produce crops such as cabbage, ground provisions, tomatoes, fruits, and spices. But, to improve the services offered to farmers, NAREI has boosted the transportation capacity of extension officers, who are tasked with conducting routine farm visits, farmers’ field schools, farmers’ clinic and respond to emergencies. Chief Executive Officer of NAREI, Jagnarine Singh, dispatched equipment to the region. Extension officers stationed at Moruca and Matarkai sub-regions are now equipped with a boat and engine and two ATVs (one new and the other refurbished).

Singh, last week, attended Region One’s Regional Democratic Council (RDC) committee meeting on agriculture, forestry, mining and lands and survey.
He was accompanied by Ramnarace Sukhna, Research Scientist; Orson Sealy, Regional Coordinator; Faron Pearson, Research Assistant and George Jervis, Chief Technical Officer. The meeting was held in the RDC’s boardroom. Singh, during his presentation, pledged to promote crop diversification to improve the livelihood of the people of the region and also add value to crops such as turmeric and ginger, so as to reduce imports of these commodities. The CEO related that NAREI is currently procuring a turmeric boiler, ginger brush washing machine, ginger cutting machine and a multifunctional powder grinding machine which will be used to add value to the spices produced in the region.
He also informed the committee of NAREI’s response to acoushi ants affecting farms in the region.

“Apart from the distribution of 750 packs of ants bait, we will also provide bomba pumps and fastac,” Singh said.
Regional Chairman of Region One, Brentnol Ashley was optimistic that NAREI will soon be able to add more value to turmeric, ginger and black pepper. He is hopeful that, in his tenure, he would be able to see a sachet with the label “Northwest ginger or turmeric powder.”
Chairperson of the RDC’s committee, Lepecha Benn, raised concerns about the availability of both seedlings and seeds in the Matarkai sub-region. In response to these concerns, CEO Singh promised that NAREI’s extension officers will teach farmers how to generate their own seedlings through budding and grafting.
Singh and his team visited a number of communities such as St. Dominic, Kumaka, Hosororo, Wauna and St. Anselm. The CEO, during his interactions with farmers, discussed the possibilities of expanding spice cultivation, value addition, reducing imports and establishing other spice factories.
Farmers were encouraged to collaborate with other processors and business personnel to establish a spice factory to offset the anticipated increase production of both turmeric and ginger. (DPI)