“We are therefore just as concerned with the cultivation of legumes and nuts in the intermediate savannahs as we are with cattle rearing at Kimbia and the cultivation of crops at Moblissa, West Watooka and other areas across this Region,” Mingo said in an address yesterday to scores of school children, teachers and other residents who had gathered at the Watooka Club, Linden for the Farmers’ Open Day and Exhibition.
The activity drew farmers from several areas across Region 10 including Dalla-walla, Lower Kara Kara, and West Watooka who turned out to display their produce. Exhibits ranged from ground provisions to cash crops including boulanger, ochro and pak choi, to finished pro-ducts such as pepper sauce, cassava bread and noni juice.
Mingo noted that over the years, the RDC had partnered with entities and agencies such as CIDA, LEAP and the Ministry of Agriculture to execute projects in the agriculture sector in several communities, including Kwak-wani as well as those closer to Linden such as West Watooka with varying levels of success.
The RDC, through major consultations with farmers across the region in the preparation of the Regional Development Strategy, has amassed a wealth of knowledge that point to what is needed for the growth of the sector with a competitive advantage, in order to ensure its sustainability.
“These visions for sustainable development of the agriculture sector in Region 10, as outlined by the numerous farmers consulted for the creation of this document, calls for the successful management of the transition from subsistence to commercial farming in various pockets around Linden and in the Berbice River area,” Mingo noted.
He added that it also sets as a goal the improvement of agro-processing capabilities within Region 10 to facilitate the export of these products packaged appropriately to various Caribbean territories and further afield, inclusive of fruit juices, jams, jellies and pepper sauce.
Residents are also eyeing the goal of ensuring that meat and milk products from the intermediate savannahs and Moblissa are sold on the local and national markets as well as abroad.
“I must also mention here that we must not only look to the Caribbean territories for markets, but also to our South American neighbours as well, especially with the expected increase of trade from and to Brazil and beyond with the opening of the Takutu Bridge,” he added.
Being able to transport produce from farm to market ranks very high on the scale of concerns of farmers in Region 10, and the RDC is trying to grapple with these considerations.
Mingo said that through his office he will continue to plug for the provision of reliable and regular transportation to be provided for this purpose for the farmers along the Berbice River, either through the return of the Berbice River ferry system, or a significant investment in the upgrade of the road between Millie’s Hideout and several areas along the Berbice River to allow for the transportation of produce.
It is against this backdrop of defined goals and proposals for their achievement that the RDC finds itself positioned to champion the proposed collaborative approach to the development of agricultural pursuits in Region 10.
Mingo said further that the RDC is convinced that a multi-faceted approach can best address the needs of the agriculture sector, and so the Regional Agriculture Com-mittee has been persevering in the face of serious challenges to champion the cause of development for several farming communities in the region.
The regional chairman also applauded the presence of personnel from the New Guyana Marketing Corpora-tion and similar agencies as farmers have indicated that these are crucial in securing fair prices and reliable markets for their produce.
