Black giant chickens to be given to households in Karrau Creek

Households within the village of Karrau Creek, Region Seven will receive 25 Black Giant chickens before the end of July, in an effort to expand poultry rearing in the lower Mazaruni district.

It was revealed that the large dual-purpose chicken has the ability to produce up to 200 eggs annually and about 4.5 kilogrammes of meat. Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, made the announcement today, during a follow- up meeting in the village. He also revealed that his ministry’s plan to establish a shade house in the indigenous community.

Mustapha led a team of technical officers to the village of River’s View, Karrau Creek, Batavia and Kartabo in the lower Mazaruni Region, where he listened to the concerns of farmers, with the aim of resolving them as soon as possible. The minister said that the meetings are a follow-up to one held recently by President Irfaan Ali, during which several agricultural issues were highlighted.

Mustapha is also looking to conduct an assessment on cassava cultivation in Karrau Creek, and once the production is viable, a cassava milling machine will be delivered to the community.

It was revealed that the villages of River’s View, Falmouth and Kartabo will each receive a milling machine to help with the processing of cassava flour. River’s View and Falmouth will each receive a shade house, putting them at a higher advantage to produce healthier crops.

“I promise you that I will be back before the end of July to deliver these things to you myself,” the minister stressed.

Minister Mustapha assured that the Government is not one that tours the country, and makes careless commitments.

The agriculture minister therefore, charged those gathered to positively assess the performance of the administration since taking office in August 2020, noting that when the PPP/C left office in 2014, it passed some $18.4B in the National Assembly to advance the food sector.

Mustapha stressed that upon returning, the allocation for the agriculture sector declined to $11.5B. He disclosed that major investments are being made to develop ongoing projects.

Meanwhile, technical officers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will return to the various communities to conduct assessments, and the results will determine the next move towards addressing drainage concerns.

Additionally, each of the communities visited will also receive free seedlings and Acoushi ant bait as requested.