An official team led by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud will begin a three-day visit today to Region Nine where its activities will include the launching of the Hinterland Rice and Beans Project at St Ignatius.

The project which is funded by the Spanish and Guyana governments will entail the establishment of a rice and beans cultivation programme over a three-year period at a total cost of US$643,000 and will support the improvement of rural development of the Rupununi Savannah’s indigenous communities, a news release from the Ministry of Agriculture said.

Minister Persaud and the team will also visit the Arapaima Fish Project at Annai.

Additionally Persaud and the team will conduct meetings in several communities in the region to discuss matters of concern to farmers and will also update them on the current El Nino weather conditions and the interventions being made by the agriculture ministry.

In light of the adverse effects of El Nino on the region the ministry has provided supplies including five 500-gallon water tanks, five water pumps, 2,000 packets of acoushi ant bait,  a swing fog machine, five tanks to store processed cassava and five barrels of diesel.

Meanwhile, a relief package totalling $49M to aid affected hinterland communities is being offered and Region Nine is receiving the bulk of the assistance, the release said.

A Foot and Mouth Disease training workshop is also scheduled tomorrow at the Savannah Inn Hotel in Lethem where the minister will deliver closing remarks, the release added.