Dear Editor,
I noted the Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region 10 making claims about progress in agricultural development. I respectfully challenge the officer to substantiate these claims with verifiable data rather than public statements.
Could the REO publish the acreage currently under cultivation in Region 10, along with a breakdown of the crops and other agricultural products being produced and their respective production volumes?
The public also deserves to know what percentage of the food supplied to Linden each month is produced locally and what percentage comes from outside the region. My understanding is that between 65 and 70 per cent of the food entering Linden comes from elsewhere. If the REO disputes this figure, the officer should publish the relevant data.
Agricultural development cannot be measured by promotional posts on Facebook or claims of progress. It must be demonstrated through land under cultivation, production volumes, investment, market access and the contribution of local farmers to the food supply.
The PPP/C Government must also answer for the longstanding concerns surrounding agricultural development in Linden and its surrounding communities. Why have the Wismar and Rockstone cooperatives reportedly not received the 500 acres of agricultural land for which they paid? What is preventing these farmers from accessing land they say they purchased for agricultural purposes?
In my view, agricultural production in Linden began to decline when the Surapana farm was shut down and cattle and other ruminants were removed from Moblissa along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway. The wells at Moblissa were also destroyed, although three were subsequently restored to operation under the APNU administration.
These developments raise important questions about the management of agricultural assets and the support provided to farmers over the years. The REO should explain what has been done to restore production, expand cultivation and create opportunities for farmers in Region 10.
I intend to examine the agricultural development claims being promoted on the REO’s Facebook page, one item at a time, and compare them with the realities confronting farmers and consumers in Linden.
The people of Region 10 deserve more than political rhetoric. They deserve an agricultural development plan with clear targets, timelines, budgets and measurable outcomes. Where is that plan? How much land will be brought under cultivation, what will be produced, and how will local farmers be supported to supply Linden’s markets?
The PPP/C Government must also explain why, after years in office, so many questions remain about the use of agricultural land and the development of local production.
The people of Linden should not have to depend so heavily on food brought in from elsewhere while the region’s agricultural potential remains underdeveloped. The REO should publish the figures, provide the plan and demonstrate what progress has actually been made.
Yours truly
Troy Glasgow
