FARMERS in Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, are set to receive quality planting materials, following a commitment by Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha during a recent engagement with farmers in the community on Saturday.
The commitment came after farmers raised concerns about the quality and availability of planting materials, with some saying they have been unable to access sufficient quantities of suitable plants for their farms.
Minister Zulfikar Mustapha assured the farmers that the government will address the issue and ensure that the necessary planting materials are made available.
“I want to assure all farmers who are here that I will ensure that all your plant materials are provided. NAREI will bring it here in the community and do the distribution,” the minister said.
The minister explained that an assessment will first be conducted to determine the number of farmers requiring assistance and the types of planting materials needed, ensuring that the distribution is based on actual demand.
“We have to understand what the needs are and what are the types of plants we need. So, we’ll do a needs assessment and see how many people need, what type of crops, and we will work,” the minister said.
Minister Mustapha also acknowledged the need to strengthen the system responsible for providing planting materials to farmers.
He noted that the government expects the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to play a greater role in delivering quality plants.
“Farmers must be given quality planting materials,” he remarked.
The minister noted that efforts are already underway to revamp NAREI and improve its capacity to provide farmers with quality planting materials suited to Guyana’s conditions.
He further announced plans to rehabilitate the plant nursery in the Yarrowkabra area and transform it into a modern nursery where farmers can access planting materials locally.
He mentioned that “We want to make it a modern plant nursery, so that you can go get all your planting materials here.”
The initiative forms part of the government’s wider push to expand agricultural production and encourage farmers to move into both traditional and non-traditional crops.
Minister Mustapha urged farmers to make use of the support being provided and work closely with the ministry’s technical officers to identify the crops and planting materials best suited to their operations. (DPI)
