Latest update January 30th, 2025 6:10 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Dried tomato project soon to begin in Paramakatoi

Jun 02, 2016 News

The residents of Paramakatoi, in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni), will be launching a project that will allow them to grow, dry, package and market organic tomatoes.

This project will be supported by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, through the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) and other partners.
The project will hopefully solve the issue of employment in the community, and will boost the region’s ‘green and sustainable village economy’ initiative.
Paramakatoi is a very remote village located in Region Eight, however, the area has very vast and fertile lands and the residents have long been producing organic herbs, greens and fruits.
Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, said that the Ministry, along with the IAST, has engaged the residents about the project and the farmers signed-up to plant the tomatoes.
She explained that the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) have agreed to provide the seedlings to the farmers, and soon 100 will be handed over to each farmer. An agriculture officer, who is based in the region, will be monitoring the project.
She noted that it is not economic to provide the tomatoes to Georgetown, because it is very costly to get the produce to the city. “Those are organic tomatoes and Guyanese will not buy them, so we decided the North American and European market is best and so we came up with the idea of dried tomatoes, ship it to Georgetown and then train the Indigenous people to produce the salad dressing so we have great plans for that,” Minister Lowe explained.
The Ministry also met with the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Pierre Giroux who was very interested in the project, and is willing to provide some funding, through some of his associates.
A training centre will also be established in the community to train the youths, who will spearhead the project. These youths are already being trained in the area of agriculture through the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) project.
On a long-term basis, Minister Garrido-Lowe said that there are talks of having a branch of IAST in the region, where the youths can be facilitated in agro-processing training.
For the first time, through the 2016 regional budget, Region Eight was allocated $33.4M for its agriculture programme. A number of projects are on stream, including, training for farmers and staff of the regional office, along with the construction of three shade houses in Kopinang, Kato and Mahdia.
The region also plans to expand its rice cultivation to facilitate an additional seven acres in Monkey Mountain. (GINA)

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Anna Regina Secondary reign supreme

Anna Regina Secondary reign supreme

Jan 30, 2025

-CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited GTTA/MOE Schools TT C/chips a resounding success Kaieteur Sports- The CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Ministry of...
Read More
Fifties from Forde, Drakes, McCaskie give Barbados edge heading into Day 2 versus Eagles 

Fifties from Forde, Drakes, McCaskie give...

Jan 30, 2025

CANOC Executive Committee gathers in Guyana for pivotal Annual Retreat

CANOC Executive Committee gathers in Guyana for...

Jan 30, 2025

Dujon questions CWI over “surprise’ axing of coach Coley

Dujon questions CWI over “surprise’...

Jan 30, 2025

Wills, Bahabur, Johnson shine at GTTA Novice Championship

Wills, Bahabur, Johnson shine at GTTA Novice...

Jan 30, 2025

Guyanese boxers shine at T&T National Boxing Championships

Guyanese boxers shine at T&T National Boxing...

Jan 29, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]