Wakenaam farmers plead for assistance in securing export markets

…many residents leaving the island in search of opportunities

Coconut and cash crop farmers on the Island of Wakenaam, in the Essequibo River, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) are complaining that the lack of proper markets, especially export markets, are hindering their economic growth. They are calling on the authorities to assist them so they could start exporting their produce and aid in the development of the island.

Coconut and ground provision farmer, Doodnauth Persaud, told Guyana Times International that farming could be better with the availability of export markets.
“I have been a farmer all my life and the markets have been going up and down and the lack of market is a serious thing. This has been here for decades and we never have any export market, especially like in the Caribbean so that we can get a better price and become more economical for us and so we can be better farmers,” he explained.
Persaud said to date, they are yet to have a discussion with the authorities for them to start supplying their produce for export. When asked about reason for the lack of discussion, he stated that when the authorities visit, they are mum when asked about the export markets or make promises that are yet to be realised.
“The coconut they have export market and it is the backbone of the island. We don’t have the exposure to the foreign market and it is the same thing that keeping the market down and we are the ones that suffer because sometimes we produce more than people need,” Persaud said.
Another farmer, Narine Persaud, said even local consumption is not sufficient for the amount of produce the farmers reap.
“I does farm plantains and sometimes I does reap so much that we does have to give away it. Yes, people does come from town and we does take to the Parika Market to sell but that is not enough. Now if we had other markets and people we could supply, then it would be more profitable for us here,” he said.
Additionally, most of the farmers are complaining that technical, and in some cases financial support from the authorities are lacking, and it often deter farmers causing the local economy to suffer. They explained that they are willing to adapt to modern farming practices but cited the lack of resources as one of the major hindrances.
“The young people willing to get into farming but they don’t have the support. Some of them would go to GSA (Guyana School of Agriculture) and study but when them come back here they don’t have the opportunities to make them succeed and then they would eventually leave the island and go to town or overseas and work,” Narine explained.
As a result of lack of opportunities, many families are migrating from the islands to Georgetown and other places. Head teacher of the Essequibo Islands Secondary School, Shiek Ahmad, said the island is losing its people to rural to urban migration.
“The migration numbers are high. We have limited opportunities here and it is a causing the [island] population to decrease. We had over 13,000 people living here but now it’s just less than half of that and it is worrying,” he said.
He further explained that families are willing to stay but because of the lack of opportunities, they are forced to move elsewhere, especially the younger generation.
Residents all agree the island reeks of possibilities but both infrastructural and economic development is warranted for it to be realised.