Onverwagt farm-to-market road boosting agriculture

− provides hassle-free access to 40,000 acres of rice land and 10,000 heads of cattle.

−Will reduce transportation costs in land preparation and harvesting

DPI, Guyana, Friday, December 6, 2019

 A $100Million upgrade to the Onverwagt, farm-to-market road aback of the West Coast Berbice community is nearing completion.

The road provided 125 residents with hassle-free access to some 40,000 acres of rice land and 10,000 heads of cattle. It is also expected to result in lower production and transportation costs during the harvesting and land preparation periods.

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which is executing the project, on Thursday said the road is 95 percent complete and some $10Million had been saved.

Engineer for Region 5, Bhagwandass Seeraj, said the money would be used to surface the road leading to the MMA/ADA seed processing plant a short distance away.

According to Seeraj, a section of the road became impassable during the last rainy season making it difficult for farmers and residents living along the banks of the Abary River to travel.

The new stretch has also been extended by 1.8 kilometres and is designed to cater for the heavy loads associated with rice cultivation and rural farming.

The agriculture ministry’s Agricultural Support Development Unit had previously upgraded a 3-kilometre stretch of the road.

 

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