Countryside Agri Centre donates tools to Agri. Ministry
–farmers, farmers’ groups in rural communities identified as beneficiaries
Farmers and farmers’ groups in rural areas will soon benefit from much-needed agricultural tools and inputs following a donation made to the Ministry of Agriculture by Countryside Agri Centre.
The presentation was made on Wednesday, in the presence of Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Paul Cheong by the company’s CEO, Lalta Digamber.
While receiving the donation, which comprised bugs/saturation pumps, power sprayers, brush cutters, seedling trays, and potting soil, among others, valued at approximately $6,620,000, Minister Mustapha said the donation will help farmers in rural communities to build capacity and improve their production.
“These equipment will help farmers to build capacity, especially among those residing in rural communities. These tools will be handed over to farmers and farming groups that need help with improving their farming practices. Today’s donation is a testament to your commitment as a representative of the private sector to the development of Guyana’s agriculture sector and your interest in giving back to the sector. Agriculture is one of the most important activities in our country and it is once again taking the spotlight in Guyana and CARICOM,” Minister Mustapha noted.
Meanwhile, Mr. Digamber a seasoned agriculturalist with over 25 years of experience as one of the country’s top suppliers for agricultural machinery and inputs, expressed hope that the tools will assist the beneficiaries with producing better quality products for both the local and CARICOM markets.
“I was a farmer before I became a businessman. As a businessman now, I wanted to make this donation because the government has been promoting the sector and working to make the sector more modernized which will help our farmers to deliver better quality products for both the local and CARICOM market. This donation will help our farmers in the rural areas to develop their farms because most of the farmers in these rural areas are small-scale farmers and we want to partner with the government to help these farmers to improve their production,”
Mr. Digamber added that this year he plans to return to farming on a large scale and will make his farm available to other farmers to be used as a model.
The PSC Chairman noted that the private sector has been in partnership with the government to promote development across all sectors in the country and that the donation made today demonstrates the execution of those set goals by the commission to encourage private sector buy-in to government’s efforts to improve the lives of the citizens of this country.