Farmers in Jacklow, a community along the Pomeroon River in Region Two, were urged to transition to larger-scale cultivation to boost their incomes and strengthen food production.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha made the call Friday during a meeting with residents and farmers as part of a two-day Cabinet Outreach led by President Dr Irfaan Ali.
Residents raised a number of issues affecting the community, and Mustapha reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring hinterland and riverine communities receive the support needed to expand productive capacity and improve livelihoods.
The minister committed to providing farmers with free planting materials to boost agricultural production, and assured residents that the government would provide drainage and irrigation support to improve farming conditions, while indicating that efforts would be made to further develop coconut production in the community.
Mustapha said the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) would work closely with the community to develop and implement a comprehensive programme to advance the area’s agricultural potential.
