Dear Editor,
Regional apathy and hopelessness have gripped residents of Region #10. All of the so called programmes touted to be Linden’s salvation have disappeared from the development radar.
One felt that in these circumstances a regional strategy would entail agriculture as the catalyst for change, a green revolution targeting a rise in rural agricultural productivity. This would accomplish several important objectives and trigger a structural change in the local economy.
The players and agencies in Region #10 are more interested in photo opportunities and a circus driven agricultural programme where show business is preferred to substance.
Recently a local agency cleared land for agricultural development and expected the farmers to move the process from there. Secondly the Minister of Agriculture was scheduled to hold another circus where a drip agriculture system was to be installed.
Minister, though the local agencies spent millions, agriculture is still dead in Region 10.
The lack of vision is pervasive among local development structures. The absence of an agricultural development plan and the unwillingness from the manager of LEAP to invest real money, planning and monitoring for agricultural development has destroyed the will of farmers.
Imagine there is an agricultural programme in Linden and we have four agricultural graduates from the university at home unemployed. Someone is not serious. I call upon LEAP to stop the window dressing agricultural projects and invest real money, hire agricultural staff and let’s move.
LEAP has two years left and one is hard pressed to follow or identify any developmental movement.
A green revolution could be made environmentally sustainable through thoughtful investment at the farm and village level. If LEAP is serious about agriculture the manager should consider drainage and irrigation, improved seed varieties, feeder roads, mechanization and a farmer grant programme for equipment and fertilizers.
The goal is to create a solid framework for identifying agricultural investments that need to be made. The need is to invite regional stakeholders and let us make something worthwhile of LEAP during the remaining two years.
Finally, I wish to remind the administration of LEAP of the Millennium Development Goals.
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women.
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve material health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases.
7. Ensure environmental sustainability.
8. Develop partnership for development.
I call on the LEAP Management to identify which of these goals they are pursuing. We are caught in high sounding speeches with little or no substance while the residents wallow in hopelessness.
Yours faithfully,
Renis Morian
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to Ms Kathleen Whalen, the International Project Manager for the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) for her comments and received the following response:
“Thanking you for giving LEAP the opportunity to respond to the letter which you received from Mr. Renis Morian for publication in the Stabroek News.
LEAP is not an agricultural programme, but complements the work of the Ministry of Agriculture, National Agricultural Research Institute, Guyana Marketing Cooperation and others. While agriculture in Region 10 does not have the competitive advantages enjoyed by the sector on the coast, LEAP agrees with Mr. Morian that agriculture must and will play a significant role in the diversifying the economy of the Region. LEAP’s focus is on assisting the transition from subsistence farming to commercial production with capacity for export.
LEAP has been instrumental in forming the Region Ten Farmers Association (RTFA) which is housed in the LEAP building and has an active membership of 86. This association has recently acquired a space in the Ministry of Agriculture building located in Christianburg for the purpose of housing a nursery. The RTFA produces a monthly Newsletter and has a Website which will be launched on March 26, 2007.
The LEAP has improved farm to market roads which have been completed in West Watooka (3.7 miles), Moblissa (3miles) and Speightland Bridge. A further extension is to be carried out on both of these roads. Support is being provided for land clearing which is resulting in 200 acres being available for cultivation. As a result of this exercise 80 farmers will be permanently employed.
LEAP is also financing the surveying of farmlands so that farmers can obtain leases or title for the land on which they have been farming for years. With the acquisition of leases, farmers will be able to approach banking institutions for loans to further develop the operations. To date surveying has been completed in Bamia, Moblissa, South Amelia’s Ward, Mabura Road and Demerara River.
In an effort to improve productivity within the agricultural sector in Region 10 LEAP will be establishing a Demonstration farm which will be equipped with the latest agricultural technology and will utilize best agricultural practices. A unique feature of this demonstration farm is that it will operate on a commercial basis from the start.
Farmers in Region 10 have invested hundreds of millions in the development of their farms. LEAP has recognized this commitment by providing $62,035,720 in agricultural loans of which $36,073,100 has been repaid over the past two years. The most significant growth within the sector has been in poultry. Late 2006 during the crisis of the poultry industry LEAP was instrumental in providing the services of a Caribbean poultry expert who visited poultry farms within the region, feed producers in Georgetown and feed distributors in Linden. He was able to identify the problems and provided the solutions which farmers have been able to implement.
A Regional Development Strategy is now being prepared and should be ready by the end of April, 2007. Within that strategy there will be a planning framework pertaining to agricultural development.
Although we would have appreciated being approached directly LEAP appreciates the opportunity to respond publicly to Mr. Morian. We continue to urge him to become a member of the RTFA and to collaborate with this important organization. Mr. Renis Morian visits the project frequently and has contributed to the Programme as a consultant on a number of assignments. LEAP remains ready to take benefit from his ideas of merit.”
