AGRICULTURE in Region One is poised for increased production and commercial growth as the government strengthens support for farmers through improved drainage and irrigation capacity, expanded technical services, specialised training and greater access to markets.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha made the disclosure during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday, following his recent visit to Region One, where agricultural machinery and equipment were delivered to communities.
A pontoon and two excavators were commissioned during the visit and will remain in the region.
“Those are a commitment made by His Excellency and myself. The commissioning of the pontoon and the two excavators that will remain in Region One now means they have their own facility to desilt canals and creeks that are very important for the farmers in Region One for irrigation purposes and also during heavy rainfall for drainage,” Minister Mustapha said.
The ministry is also moving to strengthen agricultural extension services in the region following a review of existing personnel. Additional officers are expected to be assigned to support farmers in crop production, livestock, marketing and other specialised areas.
To complement this effort, the Guyana School of Agriculture will intensify training for extension officers in areas including crop science, livestock rearing and apiculture, ensuring that technical support is better aligned with the specific requirements of hinterland farmers.
“We want to build capacity. I said at the commissioning that development must take place equally across this country. That is why when we build our processing facility in Georgetown, we are building in places like Deep South in Region Nine and Whitewater in Region One,” the minister said.
Region One is being targeted for increased production of ginger, turmeric, black pepper, coffee and other crops.
The government has already distributed more than 18,000 coffee plants and over $50 million in planting materials and other agricultural inputs to farmers in the region.
A processing facility at Hosororo is supporting the development of the ginger and turmeric industries, while the Guyana Marketing Corporation is being tasked with strengthening market opportunities for farmers.
Minister Mustapha said the focus is increasingly on helping farmers move beyond subsistence production and establish commercially viable enterprises.
“You can’t produce without market, so that is why now we are looking and we are finding market,” he said, pointing to the recent instruction for the GMC to purchase excess plantains produced by farmers in Region One for distribution on the coast.
The ministry is also expanding mechanisation across the region, with two tractors delivered to satellite communities and plans for each of the three sub-districts to have at least three excavators, including amphibious machinery capable of operating in waterways.
These measures form part of the government’s wider hinterland agricultural programme, which is being coordinated through a dedicated committee focused on development across the country’s 243 hinterland villages.
Honey production has grown from approximately 2,000 gallons in 2020 to between 40,000 and 50,000 gallons, with further expansion expected as the sector develops.
The initiative extends beyond Region One, with major agricultural projects and processing investments also being pursued in Regions Eight, Nine and Seven, alongside efforts to expand apiculture nationwide. (DPI)
