NEW AMSTERDAM, Berbice — October 19, 2026
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha announced a series of interventions for farmers in Big Biaboo during a community engagement, covering drainage, farm infrastructure and market access.
Top of the list is the construction of a new embankment to protect agricultural lands in the area. Minister Mustapha said government is prepared to fund the project, but cooperation from all affected farmers is critical before work can begin.
Once farmers give the go-ahead following further consultations, the design will be completed and the project will go to tender.
The minister linked the Big Biaboo works to a wider government investment of $25 billion in high level canals and drainage infrastructure across Regions Three, Five and Six. The aim is to strengthen the country's drainage capacity, reduce flooding, and unlock 55,000 acres of land in Region Five for agriculture.
For more immediate relief, cash crop farmers in the community will receive machinery support to raise planting beds. Each farmer is slated to get three days of machine support at nine hours per day, an investment estimated at $500,000 per farmer.
Three machines are expected to be in the area within a week. A farmer-led committee will coordinate the rollout to ensure fairness in how the support is distributed.
To ease the movement of produce from farm to market, the community's access road will also be rehabilitated with crusher run material to improve passage for farmers.
Watch the report:
By LRTVS NewsWatch · Channel 10. This report first aired on LRTVS NewsWatch.
Leave a Reply