Farmers in Region Five are being encouraged to diversify their production and take advantage of new opportunities being created through major government invests in agriculture.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Saturday met with farmers and residents from Number 10 Village, Mahaica River and the Strathavon/Cane Grove areas as part of the government’s continued outreach to engage farmers directly, address concerns and expand agricultural production across the region.
During the engagement the minister announced that approximately 55,000 acres of new farmland will become available for cultivation upon the completion of the Hope-like Canal project in the region.
Minister Mustapha told farmer that the project will significantly improve drainage and irrigation and open up new opportunities for farmers.
“From Mahaica to Mahaicony, we will have 55,000 acres of new land become available for farmers in this whole place by the end of this year,” the minister stated.
Minister Mustapha explained that the government is investing heavily in drainage and irrigation infrastructure to improve farming conditions and reduce challenges faced by farmers. “We are making increased budgetary allocations to the agriculture sector because we want to improve this sector and help farmers expand production,” he noted.
Meanwhile, during the engagement farmers raised concerns relating to water shortages in some communities, access to farmland, drainage and irrigation issues, road access, and the need for additional support to reduce production costs.
Minister Mustapha assured farmers that agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture, including the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), will work to address the concerns raised.
“I give them within one week to resolve all the issues that were raised at these meetings,” the minister told DPI.
Additionally, the minister reminded rice farmers about the government’s recently announced cash grant initiative aimed at assisting farmers and reducing production costs.
He said rice farmers cultivating 50 acres and below will receive $15,000 per acre, while those cultivating more than 50 acres will receive $10,000 per acre. “I am hoping that this registration process can conclude before the end of May so that the payments can be made available as early as possible,” the minister noted.
The agriculture minister reminded that government remains committed to supporting farmers through subsidies, incentives, and investments to help cushion rising production costs, including the cost of fertiliser and other inputs. “The government will always stand beside farmers and support them. The government will always find ways to assist all farmers through initiatives and incentives,” Minister Mustapha stressed.
Meanwhile, other key focus of Saturday’s outreach was the government’s push to diversify agriculture and move farmers beyond traditional rice cultivation. Minister Mustapha urged farmers to dedicate one or two acres of land towards integrated farming systems and high-value crops such as onions, coconut, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, and bell peppers. “We are not only looking at one area of production. We want farmers to get involved in integrated production. We want to diversify,” he said.
The minister pointed to the success of onion cultivation in Region Nine, where a pilot project expanded from four acres to an expected 300 acres this year. “Onion is a success story now in Guyana,” he noted, while encouraging Region Five farmers to get involved in onion production.
He said the government is prepared to provide seeds, technical guidance, land preparation assistance, and other support to farmers willing to diversify.
“If you are interested, we can work along with you and start that immediately,” he told farmers.
The agriculture minister also highlighted opportunities in aquaculture and livestock production as the government works towards making Guyana a major food producer and strengthening regional food security. “We want to move Guyana from a primary food producer to producing value added food and a variety of crops,” he explained.
Several farmers welcomed the outreach, noting that the direct engagement allowed them to raise concerns and hear firsthand about opportunities and programmes being rolled out by the government.
Farmers also expressed interest in accessing additional farmland and participating in new diversification initiatives to increase production and meet growing food demand.
Minister Mustapha said the government will continue working closely with farmers across the country to strengthen the agriculture sector and improve livelihoods.
“We have to change our mindset and take advantage of the opportunities available. The government is willing to work with you to help expand food production and develop the sector,” he said.