The first crop of celery was harvested on Wednesday by the women of Tiger Bay at the One Guyana Kitchen on Main Street in Georgetown, approximately six weeks after President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali launched an ambitious homestead agricultural project to benefit vulnerable communities.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand and Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, assisted with the harvest.
Minister Mustapha said the government has already sourced a market for the women, with the first harvest set to be sold to Massy Supermarket.
With the current price for celery, he projected earnings of approximately $250,000 per crop cycle for the women involved.
At the launch in January, President Ali highlighted that women can earn approximately $1 million on average, with a six-crop cycle.
The agriculture minister underscored that the project aligns with President Ali’s broader vision to strengthen economic opportunities for vulnerable communities, especially women.
“This here doesn’t take a lot of work, half an hour to one hour to do the watering, and the system that we build here will cost us approximately $150,000 to set up,” he explained.
Minister Manickchand said plans are underway to expand the project across the city, with a target of establishing at least 50 similar facilities.
She expressed optimism that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will collaborate with the government in identifying locations across Georgetown where the initiative can be expanded.
“The whole idea is to make us self-sufficient and income earners, with particular focus on our vulnerable communities, which would really be women and young people.”
The shade house located at the One Guyana Kitchen was constructed at $150,000.
Technical support will also be provided by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to ensure the project is successful. The initiative is also supported by private sector partners, including the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).
It is part of a broader programme to restore and improve areas like Kingston, Tiger Bay, and Cummingsburg.
