Black Bush Polder residents urged to make use of vast agriculture lands

Georgetown, GINA, April 22, 2008

Residents of Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice have supported the call to make efficient use of lands in the village to boost agricultural production in the face of the global food crisis.
            The call was made by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Indra Chandarpal who visited the community on April 21 to continue the Cabinet consultations on rising food prices.
             The team which included Chairman of Region Six, Zulficar Mustapha met residents at Yakusari and Mibicuri in Black Bush Polder to explain the global circumstances which have resulted in rising food prices, measures that should be taken locally and to listen to their concerns and suggestions.
            Minister Anthony told residents that they should consider themselves lucky to be living in a country where the capacity for agriculture is promising, and urged them to support the ‘Grow more food’ campaign.
            “We are going on an extended campaign of getting people to grow more because we are the breadbasket of the Caribbean. While in the rest of the world you have a problem of food shortage, we have the capacity of making food more available to the rest of the Caribbean,” Minister Anthony said.
            The grow more food campaign which is an initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture, involves the implementation of a US$20.9M agriculture export diversification programme, a US$6M rural enterprise development programme, increased investment in drainage, enhancement of extension services and the increase in availability of seeds and planting materials. 

Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, Regional Chairman Zulficar Mustapha and PPP MP Indra Chandarpal speaking with Black Bush Polder residents

The Minister said the present phenomenon presents a good opportunity for rice farmers to take advantage, since it will allow them to expand production, earn more money and ensure a sufficient supply of food.
According to some farmers, production in the community is increasing and farmers are receiving as much as $6000 for a 200 pound bag of paddy.
Minister Anthony used the occasion to explain various initiatives taken by government to help residents alleviate some of the problems likely to be faced.
“Fuel has gone up but we haven’t increased the electricity cost because government is subsidising electricity. Instead of us trying to get that from the persons who are consuming electricity, Government is paying for that…we know if that cost is passed on to the consumer, the cost of various other things would go up and make life more unbearable,” Minister Anthony said.
The zero-rating of additional basic food items this year, the raising of the income tax threshold and the reduction of the excise tax on diesel, were also interventions by government in response to rising food prices.
Chandarpal explained that it is important for stakeholders in the agriculture sector to understand the severity of the rising food prices phenomenon and utilise available lands for farming.
During the consultations residents were urged to ask questions and make recommendations relevant to the rising food prices phenomenon since they will be considered at Cabinet.
            Some residents agreed to the suggestion to make more use of resources in the community to develop agriculture, noting that Black Bush Polder produces a variety of agriculture commodities. Reference was even made to Trinidad and Tobago’s interest in investing in agriculture in Guyana.
            Some residents noted however, that the community, although land is available, is not producing in a timely manner because of the drainage and irrigation issues.
            The community will soon benefit from the four-hour service of an excavator which will begin operations from today to crown off farm lands. Extension officers are also expected to visit the community to provide technical advice to farmers while the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) will be selling seeds.  

 

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