Farmers’ concerns met with action as government ramps up investment in South Rupununi agriculture

Voices of everyday farmers took centre stage during a major engagement with the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, as community representatives, Patrick Gomes and Barnet Fernandez, shared accounts of the challenges facing their villages.

On Wednesday, Minister Mustapha, along with the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Brown-Shadeek, visited the village of Karaudarnau for the South Rupununi District Council meeting.

The meeting, which brought together residents from more than 20 South Rupununi communities, focused heavily on transportation challenges, limited market access, and the need for stronger support to women and youth in agriculture.

Community advocate Patrick Gomes, who works with more than 21 villages in the South Rupununi, told the minister that “Water is life. Without water, nothing can prosper”.

He stressed that while large-scale plans sound promising, they cannot succeed without proper water systems, irrigation, and environmental protections to prevent pesticides and fertilisers from polluting rivers.

Gomes also highlighted the region’s potential for legumes, fruits, and other long-life crops, urging stronger collaboration with the Guyana Marketing Corporation.

“People here know agriculture… what we need is the support to preserve and market what we grow,” he added.

Barnet Fernandez outlined how women’s groups, youth groups, and the village’s hot-meal programme have all been benefiting from recent agricultural initiatives.

Fernandez called for small grants to help train women and youth to expand packaging and livestock projects, noting that both groups are ready to scale up if given the means to transport and supply products reliably.

Responding to the concerns, the Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming agriculture in Region Nine, linking local development to Guyana’s national food-security drive.

“We are here in the spirit of partnership…ready to listen, ready to work with you, and ready to deliver tangible results,” the minister said.

The key commitments announced included two more excavators for sub-districts and new solar-powered cold storage facilities for the community.

Shade houses will grow, drought-resistant crops will be planted, and there will be more investment in processing peanuts, cassava, fruits, and honey.

The minister underscored the region’s national importance, stating that “Guyana is the only country that can feed its entire population without importing food …and Region Nine is essential to that vision.”

As the meeting ended, the Minister of Amerindian Affairs handed over cheques to various community leaders to assist in the development and growth of their villages.

Minister Mustapha handed over two new tractors, grass seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, tools, water pumps, 2,000 beehive boxes to boost honey production, and 1,500 black giant chickens.