-as part of government’s agricultural diversification, economic resilience plans for Region Six

Story and photos by Bebi Shafeah Oosman

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali, during his visit to Black Bush Polder on Sunday, announced the conversion of dams to establish four new drying floors, one for each polder in the area. This move aims to support farmers by improving post-harvest infrastructure.

Additionally, he revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture will be exploring the replanting of coconut as a way of boosting supplementary income for interested farmers, further contributing to agricultural diversification and economic resilience in the region.

According to President Ali, he has also asked the Ministry of Agriculture to design a project where coconut trees can be re-planted.

He said that with the provision of the Brazilian green nuts and about 5,000 – 10,000 coconuts plants, a facility will be built that will purchase the nuts and bottle coconut water for the local and regional markets, in order to create more “opportunities for your income”.

“Those are the things that will help to increase your disposable income to diversify the earning potential of your land.”

He said that he has asked the Ministry of Agriculture to also work with livestock farmers to see “how we can bring the high breed embryos to improve the stocks that we have here”.

According to President Ali, the team will be meeting with farmers to see how this can be implemented.

With regards to rice, President Ali stated that outside of the support in ensuring that farmers get $4,000 per bag, for every acre of land, farmers will receive one bag of fertiliser. “That is a direct transfer to your community in the coming days and weeks of $160 million to support our farmers in the polder,” President Ali said.

He then added that the Hope-like canals will also open up lands which will be available to farmers.

For the main drain rehabilitation, he noted that the contract has been awarded, with works to commence shortly, and that this will be supported with amphibious excavators to minimise the impact on the road.

He said there will also be the implementation of a programme, whereby all farmers will be supported for blocked drainage in the polders.

Meanwhile, Ali also revealed that 50 single mothers will be identified in each of the polders, totalling some 200 households, to receive support of ‘agri tech’ to develop and increase a disposable income. “Whether it’s hemp production, whether it’s a shade house, we are going to make life easier for this 200 women-led households, and that is the first phase of this programme,” he said.

The President also told those gathered that they must not take for granted the type of investments that are being made to ensure their lives are better.

He said that as citizens look towards the future, “We have to work with every single farmer in the Polder here to see how we can create an incentive programme to get you on the NIS pension scheme.”

President Ali added, “We have to ensure that we can work with you, so that we can enable you to get on NIS pension, so at the age of 60, you can also benefit this way.”

Furthermore, he said that investments will also be put in place to remove the barrier between rice and cattle farmers at Kokerite Savannah. “These are the things we are going to be investing in, in the coming months,” he added.

Ali pointed out that some 150 tubes were given out to farmers in the area as well to assist with their drainage, as he disclosed on the spot that he has asked the ministry to release another 150 tubes.

Meanwhile, a $239 million contract has since been awarded for the construction of a concrete bridge in Mibicuri.

In terms of the programme where farmers receive two hours of a machine to work on their lands, President Ali said this will be increased from two hours to six hours, with an additional machine to be added to support this initiative.

He said four new irrigation pumps will also be implemented to support the polders.

Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has been assigned the responsibility of developing a roof improvement programme aimed at harnessing rainfall, an essential resource for the Black Bush Polder area.

“I am not here to tell you everything is perfect; I am not here to tell you that there are no challenges or weakness, because there are challenges and weaknesses, but I am here to tell you that can trust us to stand by you, and stand with you in dealing with those challenges and weaknesses,” President Ali said.

In continuing, he said, “I just want to assure you that the plans we have will take hard work. It will take more than five years ahead of us, but we will do it in five years, because, as your President, I intend to make five years ten years, because I will work 24 hours a day.”