Agriculture Ministry moves to resuscitate Tapakuma cassava industry

The Agriculture Ministry will be providing technical support to the Amerindian community of Tapakuma on the Essequibo Coast as it seeks to resuscitate the cassava processing facility there which has been out of operation for the past three years.
Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy made the announcement when he visited the cassava processing facility on Monday.

Dr Ramsammy, speaking to the media and toshao of the village Doreen Jacobus, said the ministry is working with major partners, including the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to put the cassava processing facility at Tapakuma back in operation.
The minister said the processing facility has been out of operation for too long, and with it being operationalised, the community could earn, as well as provide, employment for residents.
The minister said the ministry has recognised the demand for value-added cassava products such as farine, casareep, cassava bread and cake on the international market, and as such, it is aiming to get the industry back on track.
Additionally, Dr Ramsammy said once the factory resumes operation, 5000 pounds of processed cassava will be produced. A team from the ministry will be working with the community to introduce new varieties of cassava sticks.
Meanwhile, Toshao Doreen Jacobus, responding to the minister, said the factory, once back in operation, will require solar dryer equipment. She said the dryer will boost the production of cassava products.
The factory was in operation since 1992; however, it closed in 2011 due to a lack of funds.
She said since that time, the cassava industry declined significantly in her village. The toshao said her village council is willing to work with the ministry to re-open the factory. When the factory was in operation it produced cassava biscuit, bread, casareep and starch. The minister and his team had a tour of the facility where he got a firsthand view of the equipment.
The minister was accompanied by Permanent Secretary George Jarvis, NAREI head Dr Oudho Homenauth, IICA representative Wilmot Garnet, Regional Vice Chairman Vishnu Samaroo, New GMC General Manager Nizam Hassan and other officials.