The Ministry of Agriculture has rolled out a new initiative at Black Bush Polder in Region Six to promote the safe storage of agricultural chemicals and reduce the risks associated with pesticide exposure in farming communities.
Through this programme, farmers will receive specially designed storage cabinets equipped with dual locking systems to store pesticides and other hazardous agricultural chemicals.
The initiative forms part of the government’s wider efforts to address public health and safety concerns in rural communities, particularly in areas where toxic substances are commonly used and stored.
During an outreach exercise at Mibicuri on Saturday, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha said the initiative is expected to cost approximately $35 million, and all farmers in the community will benefit.
Two hundred farmers received the first set of cabinets, while some 759 are set to receive theirs by September.
The minister said the programme was developed to encourage safer farming practices while helping to protect families and communities. The cabinets were intentionally designed with two locks to ensure access to chemicals would not be controlled by a single individual.
“We are doing this because we recognise the risks that exist, and that is why we built it in a way where two family members would keep separate keys, so no one person can access the chemicals alone,” Minister Mustapha stated.
He also urged farmers to avoid unsafe practices such as storing pesticides inside homes and handling chemicals without the necessary protective gear.
The initiative is being implemented through the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, which continues to advance measures to reduce the use of highly hazardous chemicals while encouraging safer alternatives within the agriculture sector.