Women group promised birds for ‘start up’ farming, other issues addressed at Ituni outreach
A group of 14 women farmers at Ituni, Region Ten were on Tuesday assured by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha that the chickens and other support needed for their start up farming will be delivered soon.
The minister met with farmers in the community when he was told about the needed assistance by Alicia Fraser, a representative of the group.
The woman explained that the group was formed in 2017 and has been collecting donations to commence farming. Thus far, the farmland and facility to rear chicken have been acquired and built but finance is needed to purchase the birds.
After listening to the woman’s plea, Minister Mustapha committed to delivering some 400 chickens to the group. He said feed will also be given to the group.
Other farmers who were present also raised their concerns and asked that the minister assist them with a remedy to the long awaited farmland allocations they desperately need.
The farmers explained that some who have large farms are yet to receive the lease documents for the land. While others who have kitchen gardens said they too have applied for land but are yet to receive.
Meanwhile, some poultry farmers complained that the price for feed is expensive in Region Ten. As a solution, the Minister urged the farmers to come together and get an agent who will then purchase in bulk from the Bounty farm.
The minister also said representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and land surveyors from the Housing Ministry will soon be sent to community to address farmland issue.
Further, a team comprising of officers from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will be sent to work with, and guide farmers on a weekly basis.
Ants bait, chemical treatment pumps and an ATV was also donated to the community. The minister said discussions are ongoing to build fences around farm lands to keep cattle away from crops.
