– calls on other farmers to be united, proactive
Members of the Buxton/Friendship Grantees Registered Proprietors Cooperative Society have maintained that many farmers in the area have benefitted from several government interventions that have allowed them to be productive.
Chairman of the society, Leroy Hamer, said that over the years, farmers in the area have benefitted from assistance from the government, resulting in easier access to farmlands and an increase in production.
Hamer also said since members of his group approached the government for assistance, a lot has been done to resuscitate and expand agriculture in the area. He said that the ministry developed farm-to-market roads, which have allowed greater access to cultivation areas.
“There has been no discrimination here. Over the years, we faced challenges. When we got it (the farm-to-market road), it encouraged a lot of people because it made things easier for a lot of farmers. One of the things I have to give the minister credit for is the dam initiative. We are now getting access to certain areas that we weren’t getting access to,” he explained.
Hamer continued, “We asked for land clearing since in the previous administration, but we didn’t get any. Also, one thing we must thank the vice president for is the sucker dam. The lands in that area needed draining. For some time, that area was blocked up because no maintenance was done in that area. So, about a week after we raised it, the vice president sent in a machine. The contractor came in and cleared off (the land) in about a week.”
The chairman also said before the end of the year, additional farmers, especially young ones, are expected to join the co-op.
Curt Adams, another farmer from Buxton, said that because of the infrastructural work done in the area, people now have access to come and purchase crops directly from his farm.
“When I came here to start farming, I had challenges. This area was all mud. When the rain fell, you couldn’t come through with your produce. When Minister Mustapha came into office, we went to him and told him we were having issues with the dam. He said we will try to assist you. After that, we saw people coming to measure the dam, and they started working. As a farmer, I am thankful for that because I know the kind of challenges we have coming into our farm. So, I am thankful to the government for coming in to help because this is farm-to-market. If someone wants to come into the area to buy something, they can drive and come straight to the farm, whether it rains or not. I have more work to do, and I will work with the ministry. We need more food in the country, and we are prepared to plant a lot of food,” he explained.
Another farmer said that while their group is engaging the government and benefitting from assistance to develop their farms, other farmers in the area are not organised and lack internal leadership and cooperation.
He said that they were able to come together and through the effective leadership of the co-op’s chairman, a lot was accomplished. He said the other farmers should organise themselves and make their needs known to their appointed government officials, adding that their lack of cooperation and proactiveness continues to hamper their productivity.
“As a man, I can’t sit down and wait and cry for things. I have to go out and get it because I have a family to support. We worked together and went to the minister, and we got help. Some other farmers don’t even want to help themselves. We used to clean these drains because it was the responsibility of the NDC, and nothing was being done. When we met with the minister, we told him that we wanted to get the contract, and he agreed. Now look, these canals are maintained, and we are having drainage. To be successful in farming, you need access, drainage, and irrigation. If you don’t have all three, you cannot be successful,” he explained.
The farmers stated that over the years, they benefitted from farming inputs such as seeds, seedlings, fertiliser, tools, land clearing, maintenance of drainage and irrigation structures, and tubes to develop internal drainage channels on their farms.