11,500 packets of seeds for flood-affected farmers

Farmers across the country will benefit from some 11,500 packets of seeds donated by the Inter- American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The distribution of seeds will complement the ongoing flood relief cash grant initiative for the thousands of farmers who suffered tremendous loss due to the recent countrywide flooding.

On Monday, IICA country representative, Wilmot Garnett presented the 17 types of seeds to Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, MP, at the ministry’s headquarters, Regent Road, Georgetown.

Minister Mustapha extended gratitude for the seeds, which he said will assist farmers to return to their farm lands. He also encouraged future collaborations with the agriculture agency.

“First of all, I would like to thank you and all those persons who would have made donations especially from Brazil with these seeds. This here will help us tremendously, because with this donation we will ensure that farmers receive this and also as you are donating these seeds today, we are in the midst of rolling out monetary relief to farmers across the country.

“So, whilst we are giving them monetary relief, we will also give them planting materials too because we want them to get back to the land as quickly as possible.

He said he looks forward to continued relationships with the IICA to further develop the Guyana and Caribbean agri-food systems.

“I know that IICA is a valued partner for us over the years and IICA has helped us tremendously not only in this disaster that we have faced but previous disasters that we have faced.”

IICA is a 34-member agriculture agency that offers support for agricultural development and rural prosperity.

The variety of seeds distributed by the agency includes pumpkin, tomato, long eggplant, green sweet pepper, carrot, pea, green coriander, bunching onion, iceberg lettuce, purple oak-shaped lettuce, round watermelon, round radish, green cabbage, butterhead lettuce and broadleaf rocket.