Farmlands almost ready for Ithaca’s co-op society 

– first phase of 150 acres out of 900 acres to be handed over to residents next month

– land preparation and technical support from agencies of Agri-Ministry will be part of the assistance given

– provision of farm tools to farmers being considered

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Residents of Ithaca, West Bank Berbice will access 150 acres in their backlands with all the irrigation and drainage infrastructure necessary for agriculture production, as early as November.

The Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Development Project (RAID) has over the past four months seen the construction of secondary drainage and irrigation canals and hydraulic structures, rehabilitation of access dams, clearing of 150 acres of land and the establishment of pasture lands and farm plots.

[In the photo, from left to right] Officials at the meeting: Hemchand Naraine, Project Engineer, CDF Director, Lennox Forte and CDF Programme Specialist, Errol Bobb.

A cross-section of the beneficiaries of the Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Development Project (RAID) Project at Ithaca.

These works will be completed by November and the land will soon be handed over to the co-operative society of the village for members to farm, create employment and thereby empower themselves economically.

RAID Project Manager of the Agriculture Support Development Unit (ASDU) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Khemlall Alvin made this disclosure during a meeting with residents of Ithaca last week. Officials from the Caribbean Development Fund (CDF), Director Lennox Forte and Programme Specialist, Errol Bobb were also present.

During the meeting, they listened to issues in relation to the project raised by farmers and gave assurances that they would help to find a way to assist those who were ready to get started but needed basic farm tools and equipment.

The opening up of the unused but fertile lands is being made possible through a loan granted to the Government by the CDF. The project is being supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The villages of Buxton, Triumph and Mocha are three small-scale farming communities in Region Four which will benefit from similar D&I systems and agricultural support under the scheme.

The villagers will also benefit from access to land preparation equipment and technical advice. The CDF officials expressed hope that by next year farming would be fully underway and every acre of the 150 acres would be cultivated with crops and occupied by livestock.

Story and Images: Clifford Stanley.