Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha recently led the launch of a modernized farm in Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice (WCB). This facility, an initiative by the ministry’s Sustainable Agriculture Development Project (SADP), boasts funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and is estimated to be worth around $16.4 million.
The freshly inaugurated farm is poised to provide farmers, aspiring agriculturists, and regional extension officers a comprehensive array of amenities and tools. These will be instrumental in initiating research projects aligned with technological advancements and governmental visions for agriculture.
The facility encompasses a variety of structures and demonstration plots, including a storage room, shadehouse, cattle and swine pens, composting setups, and specific plots designed for high-value crops like bell peppers.
Speaking at the commissioning, Minister Mustapha highlighted the facility as a symbol of the government’s commitment to promoting innovation and sustainability in agriculture. He mentioned, “…This is one of the several projects that we’ll be commissioning across the country. Soon we’ll have similar projects in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Six, and Ten. This is the first Demonstration Farm we are commissioning here in Region Five. This farm and these projects will be used to promote the use of good agricultural practices and technology transfer. This is a part of the package of the extension reform process.”
Additionally, the minister disclosed collaborative endeavors between the Agriculture and Education Ministries. Their joint objective is rejuvenating the agricultural departments across various schools. He emphasized the significance of the agricultural sector, especially concerning food security, and expressed the ministry’s eagerness to modernize agricultural educational infrastructures in line with global standards.
IDB’s Guyanese Representative, Lorena Solorzano-Salazar, commented on the farm’s potential to significantly benefit the agricultural community. She believes the farm will be pivotal in equipping farmers with advanced knowledge, enabling them to boost their productivity and revenue while mitigating environmental repercussions. She articulated, “Support of this research and demonstration plot is completely aligned with the IDB’s vision for improving people’s lives and we trust that this program and the opportunity that this offers will assist the farmers to significantly adapt and improve their farming practices.”
