– Ithaca Co-op Society accuses gov’t of stifling agriculture development in the village
– vows to turn community into major agriculture hub
By Svetlana Marshall
The Ithaca Agriculture Land Development Co-op Society (IALDCS) said the Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Development Programme (RAID) aback of Ithaca has suffered a major blow since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government took office in August, 2020. However, notwithstanding a plethora of challenges, members are determined to achieve food self-sufficiency.
In an interview with Village Voice News, IALDCS Secretary Pierre Williams said the PPP/C controlled Regional Democratic Council (RDC), in Region Five, has stripped the Co-op Society of critical equipment required for land clearing and the maintenance of canals within the farming area.
“…they stole, literally stole the machines from us,” Williams contended.
The equipment – two excavators and a D6 Bulldozer – were acquired for the Co-op Society by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government between 2018 and 2020, using a loan secured from the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF).
The project entailed the clearing of 150 acres of land aback the village, construction of secondary drainage and irrigation canals and control structures, rehabilitation of access dams and the establishment of farmlands and pastures for members of the Co-op Society. The Co-op was officially registered in 2018, and includes residents from Ithaca, New Amsterdam and the West Coast of Berbice.
Cultivating 106 acres of land from a total of 310 acres, Williams said the 150 members of co-op plant a variety of crops, including plantain, cassava, coconuts, cabbage, peppers, corn, banana, lemon and papaya but the absence of the equipment has made farming much more difficult.
“Due to politics, it seems a daunting task because the project came with heavy machinery and equipment so that we can move ahead at a pace but since this PPP Government has taken office, they stole, literally stole the machines from us,” Williams said.
According to him, while the members of the co-op were in the village, personnel attached to the RDC removed the equipment shortly after the change in administration in August, 2020. He said though there was an arrangement in place to loan the equipment, in times of emergency, the RDC never informed the Co-op of its intention to borrow the equipment.
“All of the machines are gone – two excavators and a ‘D6’ bulldozer. This wasn’t a token by the Government, it was an agreement via the Caribbean Development Fund and the Government of Guyana where a loan was garnered, and the monies garnered were used to acquire machines for the clearing of farmlands,” the Co-op Society Secretary lamented.
He said the absence of the equipment is significantly affecting farmers. “Your naked eyes can tell you, you can see the state of the canals, the vegetation in the canals, there are physical works to be done, the ingress of the water flow is hampered by vegetation, we are having a problem, we are struggling and these machines again, were purchased for the co-op,” he explained.
Further, the IALDCS Secretary said farming materials assured under the programme are yet to be fully provided.
“Farmers were guaranteed a 50,000 grant in farming materials, each member. I want to be honest with you, no one has received $20,000 in planting materials from the Ministry of Agriculture, and right now, some of us are finding it hard because we have to find our own materials and it’s expensive but we are getting there,” he explained.
Attempts to contact the Region Five Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal for a response to the allegation against his office has been unsuccessful.
However, nothing withstanding the challenges, Williams said he is pleased that farmers continue to forge ahead with their plan to achieve food self-sufficiency. He pointed out that the Chairman of the Co-op Society, Desmond Weekes, is in the process of constructing a farm house, and is likely to expand his farming operation to include livestock and poultry.
“The fundamental of this co-op is sustainable agricultural practices which means we are not doing it for a time, we are here trying to sustain our community, and by extension other communities, and food,” he explained.
He added: “Even if it brings foreign income we would be happy but we want to provide food so that lives can be comfortable in our community and the other areas.”
In the future, the co-op hopes to have its produce processed – a move that will not only put food on the table, but create employment. “We can make plantain flour, banana flour, cassava flour, and it builds the economy. We don’t always have to go working with the government, we don’t have to always be a police; we don’t always have to a nurse,” Williams posited.
