Melanie shadehouse project targets women, high-value crops

Farmers at the launch on Saturday

A new shadehouse and women empowerment project was launched on Saturday in Melanie, East Coast Demerara, as part of a wider push to strengthen community-based agriculture and expand opportunities for vulnerable groups.
The Melanie Shadehouse and Women Empowerment Project is intended to support women and other at-risk groups through targeted agricultural initiatives, providing both infrastructure and technical assistance. The project includes the establishment of a modern shadehouse to cultivate high-demand crops, with guidance and ongoing support from officers of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute.
Speaking at the launch, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the initiative forms part of a national programme aimed at boosting food production while empowering communities.
“We want to be the main food producer in this part of the hemisphere. That is why we are empowering groups to produce, while the government provides the inputs and the technical support,” Mustapha said.
He added that the Melanie project marks the beginning of a broader programme, with further measures planned to increase agricultural production and strengthen livelihoods in communities across the country.