From drainage to coconuts: President outlines new support for Hubu farmers

President Dr. Irfaan Ali met with residents of Hubu, Region Three on Thursday, where he outlined a number of projects the government will support to boost productivity, improve infrastructure, and diversify income opportunities in the agriculture sector.

The Head of State stated that increasing agricultural productivity requires targeted investments in land development, drainage, and irrigation systems to help farmers produce the best quality crops.

“We will have to invest in your productivity, in your yield, in helping you to reduce your cost in transportation,” he said.

Already, a programme has started that provides every farmer with 35 hours of machine work for drainage and irrigation. Due to high demand, a second machine was acquired, but even that has proven insufficient. The government is now considering bringing in a third machine to serve approximately 70 farmers or subcontracting the service.

President Ali also proposed bringing farmers together to create a management company or corporation. Once this is done, the government will invest in and provide machinery that the farmers themselves will manage.

In terms of diversification, President Ali urged farmers to get involved in additional income-generating opportunities.

He referenced the brackish water shrimp industry in Berbice, which earns over $1.5 billion annually. Farmers with swampy lands in Hubu can receive help to develop those lands for brackish water shrimp production. Other opportunities include the government’s caged fishing project.

“Villages like Capoey, for example, they are earning between $5 to $7 million every year now because of the fish cages we placed there,” the President added.

He also shared plans to rejuvenate the coconut industry in the area. And so, the high-yielding Brazilian dwarf coconut trees will be introduced and distributed free of cost.

A major cold storage facility and a central packaging hub was also touted during the meeting.

“Everybody who plants coconuts doesn’t need their own plant to do the bottling, we can co invest with you in developing one bottling plant that will service the entire area. And this comes from the same corporation. Then we will have direct export from Parika all the way to the Caribbean,” the President explained.

Another lucrative opportunity highlighted was packaged crab meat. President Ali noted the high demand of this product and said the government is ready to support land conversion for crab production.

A facility will also be built to process all crab meat locally and the farmers could contribute to this.

“We are importing crab meat now, and we have a massive demand because of all the hotels that are being built,” the President said.

President Ali also addressed the current duck shortage in the market. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture started a duck breeding programme.

The head of state explained that participants in the programme will be required to sell hatching duck eggs back to the ministry.

Honey production was also highlighted as a profitable and sustainable venture. “…not only the price but honey doesn’t spoil,” Ali said.

The government is prepared to support any person interested in starting with five hives, offering training and safety equipment to them.

In addition to these agricultural initiatives, 20 high-breeding rams will be made available to farmers in the area to support livestock improvement.

In terms of infrastructure, the design of an inland stelling is underway, and two additional extension officers will be deployed to the area to work directly with farmers.

Further, President Ali announced a new smart surveillance system aimed at giving farmers real-time information.

“By mid next year, all of you who have a phone will be extension officers,” he said.

All farm-to-market access roads in the area will also be upgraded into all-weather roads.