Major investment to develop Cozier scheme

Government’s objective to accelerate the country’s agricultural development is moving forward with more than $70M being invested to re-open large lands for farming activities at the Cozier agricultural scheme, Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Located in the backlands of Somerset and Berks, Essequibo Coast, the Cozier scheme was established more than a decade ago but many farmers had abandoned their plots because the surrounding waterways were clogged with silt.

During an earlier visit to the region, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud indicated that an excavator and a pump would be deployed to facilitate the scheme’s enhancement.

Already the excavator, which was procured at a cost of $30M by the Ministry of Agriculture, has been dispatched and is being used to carry out the necessary drainage and irrigation works valued at more than $15M, GINA stated. The work entails re-establishing several miles of the drainage network, excavation of an outfall channel leading into the Pomeroon River and construction of various structures.

Additionally, GINA reported, a $55.5M contract was recently signed at the Ministry of Agriculture for repairs and installation of two major pumps in Region Two, one of which will be placed at Cozier.

Meanwhile, re-establishment of the scheme will result in the development of approximately 5,000 acres of arable lands for expanded cultivation of cash crops primarily.

This will create more economic opportunities and benefit hundreds of farming families residing in surrounding areas such as Charity, Somerset and Berks and New Road, GINA said.

The project will also complement other government interventions to stimulate agricultural advancement in the Pomeroon and surrounding communities on the Essequibo Coast.

At present, focus is being placed on the establishment of a mini-packaging facility at Charity to cater for processing of agricultural produce from these areas. Increased production at Cozier will support the operations of the pack house along with other products from the Pomeroon.

In another effort to stimulate production in the Pomeroon, two excavators are being used to empolder farmlands, construct embankments and improve thousands of miles of drainage canals to support farming activities both in the upper and lower Pomeroon.

The excavators were deployed to the upper and lower Pomeroon following a promise made by President Bharrat Jagdeo during his meeting with farmers and residents during January 2006, GINA added.