Windsor Forest Farmers to receive much needed assistance

Windsor Forest FARMERS, West Coast Demerara will soon benefit from improved drainage and irrigation and a number of agricultural projects following a meeting with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Tuesday.
During the meeting, farmers raised a number of issues, which Minister Mustapha undertook to address in the coming week.
Krishna Mathura told the minister that the roads in the area have been in a miserable state for some time and residents and farmers face a daily battle of having to navigate the “terrible” roads.

“The road is really scary, from the headline while driving. I drove my car and it was in one foot of water; you don’t even want to look at the road, “said the farmer before adding:” It’s so bad, how are these people going to bring their paddy out? ”
Over time, Mathura said the road conditions forced him to give up his career as a rice farmer. “I used to plant rice but because of this situation with the water and the dam and the millers, I had to leave,” he explained.
Meanwhile, another farmer, who gave his name as “Hemchan”, told the minister and those gathered at the meeting that the hooker in the area was also in a pitiful state.

The man noted that the authorities in the region had begun some temporary work on it. However, he believes that the contractor hired to carry out the work is doing “untidy” work.
Farmers also raised concerns about poor drainage and irrigation services and the deplorable condition of the dams in the village.
In response to concerns raised, Minister Mustapha informed the farmers that a team from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will return to the region with the machinery needed to clear the dams in the farming community .

The minister also assured the farmers and residents that restoration work will be carried out to repair the all-weather roads in the area. Farmers further informed that ministry extension officials will soon form a group in the region to address their concerns.
“Soon, every extension officer will have a group of farmers, so they have to report to the Ministry of Agriculture on a weekly or monthly basis what kind of service they offer you the farmers,” he said.
“For too long, we’ve had free riders in the Ministry of Agriculture … our extension officers will have to be more responsive to the needs,” he added.
He also revealed that the ministry will restore the Rice Producers Association (RPA) and Guyana Agricultural Producers Association (GAPA) to strengthen the partnership between farmers and the ministry.

Source