About 80 West Coast Demerara famers now have access to a 13.6 hectare pasture that was handed over to the Leonora Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), in response to their requests for facilities to care for their animals.
The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) recently handed over the pasture, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said on Friday, while pegging the cost at $16 million.
“We are aware that the persons who have livestock in this area are happy to be rearing animals and have a long history of taking good care of those animals, and the quality of the stock they have is usually high producing ones,” Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Alli Baksh was quoted by GINA as saying, while noting that farmers depend on them for their livelihoods.
The farmers on the other hand, are reported to have raised concerns with regards to the safety of their animals and they were assured that the ministry along with GLDA will be working closely with them to put measures in place. Baksh also urged them to work together to ensure proper care of the pasture.
“We are looking forward to working with the farmers to make the plot far more productive than it is at this time,” CEO of the GLDA Dr Dindyal Permaul was reported as telling farmers.
Permaul also stated that farmers within Leonora have suffered tremendously when it comes to looking after their cattle.
