Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Friday, handed over a number of farming equipment to small and medium sized farmers aimed at expanding their operations and increasing their productivity.
The equipment was procured through the US$3M Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme, which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Mustapha says the increased use of technology is key to achieving food security, and the donation is part of that.
“While we are producing traditional foods that we used to produce, we are going to new forms of production, and that is why technology will play an important role. Rather than using your hands to do the milking of the cows, we’re giving you the machine so that you can increase technology and get more efficiency,” the Minister said.
Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha
The Agriculture Minister also noted that approximately 6000 farmers across regions 2, 3,4,5,6 and 10 will benefit from this programme and it will make significant strides in achieving food security in the country and the Caribbean region.
Meanwhile, IDB Representative, Lorena Solórzano-Salazar posited that these donations and the programme overall, will enhance the lives of small and medium-sized farmers, as well as boost their agricultural productivity.
“These resources will also support the food producers in their daily activities, contribute to sustainable farming processes and enhance efficiency and productivity. We at IDB therefore are very pleased to support the Government of Guyana in this development,” she said.
The equipment handed over include incubators, plucking machines, cow milking machines, land tillers, and water pumps, among others.