to introduce farmsteads, expand poultry production and agro-businesses

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali announced, on Friday, the expansion of the government’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship Innovation Programme with the intended introduction of farmsteads and expansion of poultry production.
The Head of State disclosed that as he met with recent graduates of the University of Guyana and the Guyana School of Agriculture at the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara and stated that the plan is to have those students deployed in various aspects of the expansion.

In bringing in young people and women in agriculture, the Head of State said that the government was also bringing innovation and resilience while also making the sector competitive and viable.
As a result, he indicated that they have been working on a number of programmes which will increase productivity, diversify the cropping system, expand the production base and introduce new crops, all aimed at improving the country’s competitiveness.
He added that the programmes will also increase yield and expand the market share while also reducing imports, which was important as the sector must push towards crops that can aid in achieving the goal of reducing imports.
As such, he highlighted the importance of having them gather there to carve out areas of interest within the sector.
“We want to engage these persons and we want to bring you together under the agriculture innovation entrepreneurship programme and under [this] programme we want to build agro-businesses, we don’t only want you to get a job, we want you to eventually own your own businesses that take you beyond an employee and gives you the opportunity at owning your business and being a part of this big growth of agriculture,” President Ali said.
Poultry Production expansion

With this, the Head of State told the gathering of recent graduates that the government aims to bring them into the programme under three categories, one of which happens to be the expansion of poultry production.
He said, “So what we are going to do, we have for example the opportunity of expanding our poultry production because the growth in the demand for poultry products is exceeding our production quite often.”
Against this backdrop, President Ali said that there was a need for more investment in the poultry industry, but it also had to be done in a more scientific and modern way that is attractive to young people.
As a result, he said that, as part of the programme, they will, on farms across the country, bring in the tunnel house approach to poultry farming, which can be very competitive and profitable, as he noted that one tunnel house can have over 35,000 chickens.
That, he said, will allow those who recently matriculated from the various institutes an opportunity to use their theoretical knowledge to manage and support the programme and also give them an opportunity to earn and build capital.
Introduction of farmsteads

Meanwhile, President Ali said that another aspect of this programme would be the introduction of modern farmsteads.
Farmsteads can be described as the main buildings and surrounding area of a farm, which usually includes a farmhouse, livestock pens and other structures necessary for various agricultural operations.
As part of this, the government was embarking on a structured regional plan to convert some 100 acres of land to farmsteads.
Historically, farmsteads are usually on two or five acres of land. However, they will embark on a joint project between the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Housing and Water and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission for the implementation of this programme.
“We’re taking 100 acres of land on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway… The Ministry of Housing is going to do the low-income housing and then we are going to put shade houses at the back of these houses that give you consistent production, resilience and can combat some of the effects of climate change,” he said about the intended plan.

Additionally, he revealed that the target is to have at least 500 farmsteads and link the production from these to a market.
He added, “So that is another programme we want to start within six weeks. We are hoping to start that programme so some of you will also be deployed on that programme and this programme will target the improvement of lives for single mothers, single parents, especially so that they can also have an opportunity.”

Meanwhile, the third aspect of the expansion of the Agricultural Entrepreneurship innovation programme will include the aquaculture programme which is ongoing in Onverwagt.
Those persons who were interested in that aspect of the programme he said, will be trained in that area and will be part of it.
However, President Ali said that this expansion is set to create prosperity and for the recent graduates to apply their knowledge in advancing farming, using technology and advancing the way things are done across the country.
He said, “We want you to have the best possible future, and food security, productivity, agriculture are an important part of diversification and the vision in building a stronger, more resilient, diversified economy in our country.”