Model agriculture farm to be established in Region Six

Efforts are being made to establish a model integrated agricultural farm on the Corentyne, Region Six. To this end, Food For The Poor (FFTP) Guyana Inc and St Francis Community Developers (SFCD) have partnered with Shining Star Community Developers (SSCD) of Limlair Village to make this project a reality.
The project is aimed at promoting social and economic development in the community. The project is being implemented to address the rapid economic decline in the community.

It includes the establishment of several ponds on the plot of land, the procurement of eight thousand tilapia fingerlings, the construction of several drains to allow for effective irrigation, the installation of a security light system and the setting up of various agricultural plots for vegetables, using the greenhouse effect. The impact of this should see the creation of jobs for the unemployed, life skills training specifically in aquaculture, rearing of the tilapia, marketing, and the promotion of food security and sustainability.
Already the fingerlings have been secured as part of the first stage of the multimillion dollar project.
FFTP Senior Project Manager Andrea Benjamin explained that the organisation got involved in the project because of the high unemployment level and crime rate in the community.
“The project will help to aid the economic development of the community through the creation of job opportunities, skills training specifically in the area of aquaculture where it is expected that an average of 24 persons will be trained in the rearing of tilapia and the maintenance of the ponds during the nine months lifespan of the first batch of fishes. Another benefit is the creation of healthier food options for members of the community.”
FFTP recently presented agriculture equipment to SSCD. Among the items, were a mechanical agricultural tiller and a gasoline-operated water pump which will be used to develop the model farm at Limlair, specifically the plant husbandry.
The donations are part of FFTP’s efforts to promote rural community development, particularly in the area of agriculture.
The Shining Star organisation is a part of the SFCD’s network of groups under its umbrella. Head of SFCD Alex Foster said St Francis’s involvement in the project has enabled the project to expand beyond the initial scope envisioned.