Agriculture self-sufficiency a growing possibility at Mahdia

─ Agri Minister and team tour farms in the community

DPI, Guyana, Monday, January 21, 2019

The cost of chicken and fresh farm produce such as vegetables and ground provisions in the mining town of Mahdia has been greatly reduced as a result of the efforts of farmers in the community.

This was among the many positive developments on the agriculture front revealed to Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder and team during an outreach exercise to the area on Thursday last. Minister Holder was accompanied by the Heads of the GLDA, Nigel Cumberbatch, NDIA, Freddy Flatts, Fisheries, Denzil Roberts and NAREI Dr. Oudho Homenaught.

The visit to farms in the mining town completed an earlier outreach to communities in south Region Eight last year.

The minister and team visited the farms of Roger Hinds, Lennox Nedd, Stuart (only name given) and poultry farmer Richard Owenkirk, where they were shown a variety of innovative approaches taken for the development of agriculture in its many forms.

The challenge for farmers in Guyana’s interior is usually the weather which features an extended dry period. At the farm of businessman/farmer Roger Hinds has incorporated the use of the Hydo irrigation system and storage of water in plastic tanks for use during the dry spells.

His four acres boasts an amazing variety of crops, including vegetables, spices, fruits and a huge section dedicated to citrus, all of which is currently in full production. Other innovations revealed to the visiting team included greenhouses with vegetables such as pak choy, sweet peppers and lettuce among others.

In his interaction with Minister Holder, Hinds assured that he is committed to producing enough along with other farmers to make his town self-sufficient in vegetables and poultry supplies.

“For as long as I can remember, the only source of fresh veggies and meat was from the coast and this was at a significant cost for transport through the trail or by aircraft. This cost was passed on to the residents of the community – I wanted to change that, I wanted to bring down the cost of food in Mahdia”.

Hinds, who operates the Roger Hinds’ Hotel, a supermarket complex and wholesale depot in the town also took the team to look at his poultry operation which has successfully reared the GLDA’s Black giant dual-purpose chickens to produce eggs. According to Hinds, the Black Giant chickens have significantly impacted the cost of an egg in Mahdia.

“I get approximately 400 eggs a week for these chickens, and I sell them along with the other produce at the farm at my supermarket.  Previously a tray of eggs could be as much as $3000, I sell for $1500 including the tray”.

The cost for poultry has also been positively impacted by the efforts of farmer Richard Owenkirk who said he saw a need in the town and was the first to establish a poultry operation such as his. “I would see how much a pound of chicken would cost us here in Mahdia, as much as $1200 at times. But I understood the challenges suppliers had in sourcing the meat in Georgetown, then having it refrigerated for the long haul here, I felt I had a plan that could ease the hassle. Today, that plan is paying off for me and for the consumers of my town”

Owenkirk sells his chickens at a wholesale price of $320 per pound to wholesalers who then retail for around 500 a pound.

At the farm managed by Stuart, the Minister and team were shown his efforts in the production of papaya and citrus, exotic fruits such as soursop and sugar apples.

Minister Holder has committed to working with the Region Eight RDC along with Lands and Surveys with a view to having the farmers access lands that would facilitate the continued growth of agriculture in that part of Potaro-Siparuni

Story and Images: Tanuja Raikha.

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