Georgetown: Cognizant of the fact that farmers play and important role in the advancement of the agriculture sector and in keeping with the Ministry of Agriculture’s renewed thrust to modernize the sector more emphasis is being placed on sustaining the industry.
In light of this, Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and a team of Technical officers and Heads of Departments from the Ministry and its sub-agencies embarked on an outreach exercise in the Mahicony Creek.
During the exercise meetings were held with cash crop, livestock and rice farmers of Mora Point and Gordon Table on the way forward for the sector and to address some of the deficiencies that presently exist.
Among the issues which affected residents were dam maintenance, irrigation water to farmlands and non-payment for rice by millers.
Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy while addressing the residents alluded to the fact that while all is not well, the sector has come a far way.
While underscoring the importance of agriculture, Dr. Ramsammy said that Government will do all it can to ensure that farmers’livelihood are protected.
With respect to the withholding of cash to farmers by some millers, Minister Ramsammy announced that the Ministry of Agriculture working with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), will commence today (Thursday) payment to rice farmers for monies owned during the last crop which amounts to $300M.
He added that this move is to ensure that farmers can access their monies so that production can continue.
“This is necessary as farmers have been the one suffering as a result of the negligence of some millers who are bent on exploiting the farmers…Our Government will never sit by and let this happen. No, we will do all in our power to ensure that all of the nation livelihoods are protected,” he said.
With respect to access to irrigation water to farmlands, Minister Ramsammy enlightened the resident of the new Pump Station which has commenced construction in the Pine Ground area.
The team also visited the area where construction work has been ongoing at a rapid pace. A request was made by farmers for building of a dam in the Savannah area. NDIA will look into this matter.
“Other than interventions, investment will also be made to have access road which is presently a mud dam into an community road in the near future…I am also appealing to farmers to stop tampering with dams and drainage structures as you sometimes are your own worst enemies,” Minister Ramsammy said.
Good drainage is an essential ingredient in ensuing that favourable development takes place and the NDIA has been working round-the-clock to ensure that access to dams are passable at all times.
In this vein, two new bridges will be constructed by NDIA at Hide Park and Jagdeo Canal shortly.
You must be logged in to post a comment.