Farmers in Region Three (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara) are receiving direct technical support from the Ministry of Agriculture, including extension services, land clearing, fertilisers and planting materials, as the government moves to strengthen production at the farm level.
Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Vikash Ramkissoon on Wednesday said the ministry is working closely with farmers in the region to ensure they have access to the technical assistance and resources needed to improve their operations.
“Throughout the region, Region Three in particular, I’ve been working very closely with the farmers on the ground to ensure that they get the extension services that they so require,” Ramkissoon said.
He said the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority is also undertaking land-clearing works to assist farmers, while other support includes the provision of fertilisers and planting materials.
“The NDIA is doing a lot of land clearing to assist farmers, that they are assisted with fertilisers, planting materials and so on and so forth,” he said.
Ramkissoon said the goal is to give farmers the practical support they need to plan, produce and participate more effectively in the market.
“The entire machinery of the Ministry of Agriculture is geared towards ensuring that farmers can have what is needed from the government,” he said.
The push for greater technical support comes as Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has said there are efforts to increased use of technology, research, mechanisation and digital tools in farming.
Mustapha said farmers are increasingly benefiting from technologies such as drones and sensor-based irrigation, alongside investments in drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market roads, training and agricultural research.
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
