By Delicia Janneire | November 11, 2024
A state-of-the-art $14 million model farm was officially commissioned at Talorgie on the Corentyne Coast, Berbice, by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, over the weekend.
This development, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under the Ministry’s Sustainable Agriculture Development Project (SADP), marks the fourth such model farm in Guyana, with this being the second one in Berbice.
The model farm is equipped with a variety of facilities designed to enhance agricultural practices in the region.
Among its features are a storage room, shade house, cattle pen, compost house, small ruminants pen, Black Giant pen, and swine pens.
Additionally, the farm includes demonstration plots for high-value crops such as bell peppers and orchards, aiming to serve as an educational hub for both farmers and schoolchildren.
Minister Mustapha highlighted the importance of the farm in fostering innovation and sustainability within Guyana’s agricultural sector.
He emphasized the farm’s potential as a learning center for farmers, particularly in the cultivation of new and emerging crops that are vital to the country’s agricultural future.
The Minister also underscored the government’s commitment to making the agricultural sector more attractive to young people, encouraging them to engage in sustainable farming practices.
He called for greater collaboration with local schools and farmers across Region Six to ensure the farm’s full utilization as a training facility that promotes best practices and resilience within the sector.
This model farm initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to advance the agricultural sector, contributing to the achievement of the Caribbean’s goal to reduce its food import bill by 25% by 2025.