Government’s agri-diversification drive gaining more international support - Small Farmers Livelihood Programme launched
 
Georgetown, GINA, November 19, 2007.

Government’s interest in agricultural diversification to further develop rural communities is being further supported by more international agencies and friendly Governments including the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
            This was highlighted today at the launching of a Small Farmers Livelihood Programme (SFLP) at the IADB Main Office, High Street, Kingston, Georgetown. Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Charles Court and IADB Resident Representative Marco Nicola were present at the ceremony.
SFLP, which is being funded buy CIDA and IADB, seeks to increase the income of small farmers in coastal and near-riverain areas through improved production and marketing of non-traditional crops. It targets more than 1000 farmers of Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six and will include implementation of 15 sub-projects in various communities. The project was launched with the signing of three contracts for sub-projects in Regions Two.
Minister Persaud expressed gratitude for the growing interest and support from international agencies and friendly governments for initiatives such as SFLP, which will aid the agricultural diversification drive and develop the non-traditional crops sector. These are being pursued by Government to ensure advanced agriculture that will support national development and alleviation of poverty.
This support is a sign of encouragement, the Minister added, and points to the next level of agriculture where intensification of the export drive is crucial to helping Guyana realise its full agricultural potential. Already, Guyana has achieved food security and is a net exporter of food while focus continues to be placed on expanding its exports.
The Minister noted that initiatives such as SFLP are aimed at changing the mindset of farmers and help them to see themselves as entrepreneurs by ensuring necessary infrastructure, support and technical services are in place.
The need for more market-driven production is essential in helping to make Guyana’s products competitive, especially taking into consideration the level of subsidies offered to agriculture in the developed countries, the Minister pointed out.
            However, there are opportunities for increased exports of Guyana’s agricultural produce and farmers are being urged to maximise the resources made available to them through initiatives such as SFLP to help them realise the agricultural potential.
            High Commissioner Court added that the support is aimed at helping this process and is in keeping with the agenda of Guyana and Canada to strengthen regional integration, facilitate increased economic growth and help eradicate poverty.
He noted that there are significant opportunities for increasing agricultural export from Guyana to Canada.
IADB Resident Representative noted that the initiative, SFLP, will further add to efforts of advancing agricultural diversification in Guyana which is crucial to increasing contributions of agriculture to national development.   
Director of SLFP Munishwar Persaud, Head of Aid, CIDA and Mark Mostovac also delivered brief remarks on the importance of the initiative and its various components which include technical and financial support.
SFP will help to provide planting materials, small farming tools and equipment, pesticides and fertilisers; extension services that include monthly visits to farmers to advice them on crop production, financial management, agro-processing and marketing; guidance on marketing and upgrading of facilities to process surplus from produce of saleable goods. It will be implemented over the next four years at a cost of US$1.5M.
   Government has been implementing various projects with support from international agencies to develop rural communities through improved agriculture. These include the Poor Rural Communities Support Services Project (PRCSSP) through which US$16.5M was invested in Regions Two and Three.
            The project was designed to alleviate poverty in Regions Two and Three by enhancing productivity and capacity of farmers and rural entrepreneurs. It was mandated to support agricultural development in various areas. Its three main activities include giving credit to farmers and technical training and capacity-building and infrastructural support.

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