Shade house in Kumu Village boosting agricultural production, community development

The future of agriculture in the Amerindian village of Kumu is bright as their shade house project is already delivering tangible results, with residents actively harvesting crops and expanding production.

The facility was funded through a $5 million capital grant from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

According to Senior Counsel, Linda Fredericks, it was installed in November last year and has since enabled the cultivation of sweet peppers, tomatoes, and shallots.

The village receives support from Community Service Officers (CSOs) who manage and maintain the facility.

According to Fredericks, beyond the shade house, the village has already begun expanding its agricultural capacity.

An additional structure of similar size has been established to accommodate part-time workers.

“We already fenced it and we are just waiting for the rain…In the meanwhile… we have additional plots to plant more and it will be run by part-time workers,” she told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a telephone interview recently.

Kumu Village has already secured reliable markets for its produce, with the community’s hot meal programme benefitting directly from fresh produce. The hot meal programme is an initiative under the Ministry of Education that provides meals to school-age children.

Additionally, produce is being sold to restaurants in Lethem, creating an external revenue stream. Fredericks assured that the profits generated from the project will be reinvested into sustaining and expanding agricultural operations.

Apart from that, the village is also actively cultivating cassava and preparing to open additional farms dedicated to its production. In the near future, Kumu is aiming to establish a plant to process cassava into value-added products such as cassava bread and tapioca.

She also highlighted several other development initiatives aimed at strengthening economic and social infrastructure that is underway.

An art and craft facility is nearing completion, with commissioning anticipated in early April. The project is expected to support local artisans and create additional income opportunities.

Renovation works have also been completed on the village’s multipurpose building and community centre under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 framework. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to upgrade the village playground and pavilion, although limited funding has slowed progress, particularly with fencing works.

A new restaurant is also under development, further diversifying the village’s economic base. Additionally, solar panel installations are nearing completion, marking another step toward sustainable energy use.

In 2023, Kumu Village was allocated $18 million under the LCDS funds. Of this amount, $7.2 million has already been utilised, while the remaining $10.2 million is being reserved for a major infrastructure investment.

The village intends to purchase a bobcat to support road maintenance, particularly for farm access roads, with Fredericks stating, ” We don’t need to depend on the government all the time.”

Kumu Village’s ongoing initiatives shines as an example of how government’s investments can help them leverage agriculture, infrastructure development, and community-led investment to build a more self-sufficient and resilient village economy.

With multiple projects advancing simultaneously, the village is positioning itself for sustained growth while improving the quality of life for its residents.