At MMA open day …
President Ramotar stresses the importance of agriculture to Guyana’s advancement -- over 100 persons receive leasehold titles
November 1, 2014, Source - Guyana Chronicle.
OVER 100 persons received leasehold titles for state lands in the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary (MMA) area yesterday during the MMA’s open-day, which was the last in a series of activities to mark Agriculture Month 2014.
President Donald Ramotar views some of the products produced by the Bath Referendum City Farmers Group (Adrian Narine photo)
President Donald Ramotar, who addressed a gathering of thousands at the Bath Settlement Tarmac, stressed the importance of agriculture to the development of Guyana.
According to him, the sector’s importance is seen in the numbers, which indicated that agriculture accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the local economic activity.
“Agriculture can help to make Guyana advance fully…Guyana has land, fresh water and very good farmers,” he said.
The Head of State highlighted too that the development of agriculture will not only contribute to the development of the nation, as a whole, but also contribute to battling the problem of food security, which is a global challenge.
Fresh fruits and vegetables displayed, representing the successes of several farmers’ groups in the MMA area, being viewed by President Donald Ramotar (Adrian Narine photo)
He noted that the food import bill of the Caribbean Region is close to US$4B annually, which represents both an opportunity for Guyana to contribute to the Region’s food security, as well as a market for Guyana’s farmers. “We have great prospects to do that,” Mr. Ramotar said.
The President pointed out that to successfully undertake this task, several things have to be done, including: further advancement of farmer education; the application of science and technology, which can be done via the investments that have been made at the University of Guyana (UG), the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA); and the diversification of the sector.
He acknowledged, however, that moving forward in this area will be challenging, but expressed optimism that: diversification of the sector; the addition of new crops and agriculture products, through the promotion of an agro-industry; as well as advance of value-added initiatives will address the challenges in an effective way.
Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, and President Donald Ramotar, review one of the exhibits on display by GuySuCo(Adrian Narine photo)
Mr. Ramotar was emphatic in stressing that these efforts are worthwhile given the fact that wealth will be created for Guyanese and there will be an improvement of the quality and standard of living in Guyana – both meaningful returns on Government’s investments in the agriculture sector.
On that note, Mr. Ramotar highlighted the need for hydropower, among other infrastructural advances, to further contribute to the improvement of the lives of all Guyanese.
Slated to be this nation’s most ambitious undertaking, the Amaila Falls Hydro Project (AFHP) is touted to be able to provide Guyanese with a cheaper, reliable and sustainable electricity supply. It involves the construction of a hydropower plant in the area of West-Central Guyana, where the Amaila and Kuribrong Rivers meet. Electricity produced there would be delivered to Georgetown and Guyana’s second largest town, Linden. The AFHP is anticipated to result in substantial savings to the nation’s coffers, some $9B, particularly in terms of foreign exchange and the purchase of heavy fuel oil.
The President decried the fact that he “does not have a partner in the Opposition” when it comes to pushing developments like these.
Despite this, he assured that progress will continue and pledged that the efforts of the current Administration will take Guyana from a middle-income country to a developed nation.
“I intend to work to see us getting there. We have all the possibilities to get there. We have been investing heavily,” the President said.
He added: “…to do so we need you support. We need your individual and collective support, so that in our lifetime we can see Guyana move to a far better place than it is today. Let us work together.”
Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Ali Baksh, reiterated similar sentiments and underscored the fact that there are many opportunities available to local farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
He noted that there are several initiatives that have been advanced to support local sector stakeholders, in the interest of developing the agriculture sector, and committed to continued support.
LAND TENURE WORK
Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, was also present at the MMA open day activity, updated those gathered on the efforts being made by his Ministry, in collaboration with the MMA and other stakeholders to ensure the allocation of leasehold state lands to farmers, in the interest of improving the lives of average Guyanese citizens.
“Farmers in Guyana are one of the most important groups of people…you, the farmers, the architects of agriculture, impact the local economy in a significant way,” he said.
According to him, Government will continue to work with local farmers to ensure that the agriculture sector is developed to benefit all Guyanese and, by extension, Guyana.
“We are a far way from realising the full potential of the sector, even with the successes we have had to date,” Nandlall said.
He made it clear that engagements, toward this end, will continue with farmers to ensure the availability of lands for agriculture and the expansion of agricultural activities, in the interest of improving lives.
Additionally, MMA Chairman, Rudolph Gajraj, used yesterday’s forum to announce that a decision has been made to act on a request from a Region 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice) farmers’ group to make available additional lands for cattle rearing – lands that will be regulated by the MMA.
He also announced the move to have critical roads, including the damaged Burma Road, repaired.
According to him, these announcements are in line with the MMA’s focus on land tenure and associated matters for 2014.
Also, the General Manager of the MMA, Mr. Aubrey Charles, reported on the successes of these efforts and stressed that fairness, transparency and equitable allocation of lands to MMA farmers, continue to be the order of the day. “The MMA is committed to partnerships that will ensure positive changes,” he assured.
The efforts of the MMA were displayed in an exhibit, in addition to exhibits put on by the GSA, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Bath Referendum City Farmers Group, among others.
This year Agriculture Month was held under the theme ‘Enhancing Agriculture through Family Farming and the use of Sustainable Technologies’.
