Gov’t to bring on stream 1,000 acres of land to expand red beans, black eyed peas production – President Ali

To provide farmers with an additional income stream, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has said the government will be pumping resources to operationalise 1,000 acres of land before the end of 2025, to support the expansion of red beans and black eyed peas production in the Berbice River.

Presently, 77 farmers from Ebini, Kimbia and other areas are cultivating 663 acres of red beans. And, at least 8,000 acres of cultivation is needed to meet national demand in the initial phase, according to the president.

President  Ali pointed out each acre of land is expected to yield approximately 1,600 pounds of red beans. With 1,000 acres to be cultivated, the nation will be producing an additional 1.6 million pounds of red beans, and black eyed peas annually.

He described this as a true transformation – moving from zero production in these savannahs to an industry that produces millions of pounds of food annually.

“This is adding more income to your community, your pocket and disposable income. There’s something plus farmers here who requested additional land which will be about 803 acres. We are taking it to 1,000 acres because we might have missed a few people,” he highlighted.

He made the disclosure during an engagement with farmers and residents of Kimbia Village and surrounding Berbice River communities on Saturday.

Residents and farmers were informed about the government’s agriculture interventions, which seeks to position Guyana as a major food producer, with support from farmers.

“We are committed to your success. We are committed to agriculture. We are committed to food production. Food and agriculture will be the soul of our country.  Food and agriculture will be the soul of what we contribute to CARICOM,” the head of state emphasised.

Beyond crop cultivation, the president invited farmers to consider large-scale swine production, and if the community shows serious interest, the government will be supporting its development.

This will provide farmers with an additional revenue stream while contributing to national food security.

“If it is viable and feasible for us to do it on a large scale in your communities, the Ministry is ready to support that,” he emphasised.

The head of state also extended his government support to cash crop farmers, with planting materials, fertilisers, seeds, and farming implements already provided.

“But we want to take a step forward. We want to work with the cash crop farmers to see how we can add innovation and technology to assist you,” he expressed.

Within this context, he pitched the idea of cultivating chilli peppers and other high value crops using shade-house technology that will enhance production.

Additionally, the president affirmed that his government will work to provide the markets for farmers’ crops, linking rural production to established supply chains.

According to the President, the 1000 acres of land earmarked will also complement farmers executing small scale production and add to the current out put.

Additionally, the Government is supporting the construction of a $1.2bn silo facility on Kimbia for the storage of legumes produced.

The head of state was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha and other technical staff of the ministry.

Guyana, under President Ali’s leadership, is positioning itself as a major supplier of food to the Caribbean, as part of the regional bloc’s vision of achieving self sufficiency by 2030.