Mennonites eye large-scale land in Guyana for farming project

Oct 29, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – They are known for establishing colonies deep in the remote jungles across Central and South America and while devotedly holding on to their religious beliefs, the group has undertaken large scale agricultural projects, raising deforestation and land rights concerns in the process.

At the moment, the Mennonites, a religious group which has left a trail of deforestation concerns in Latin America over the past decade, are looking for land to buy in the Berbice area, around Ebini.

The group, which is spearheaded in its efforts by investors from Suriname and Argentina, plans to build and establish corn and soya farms in the neighbouring in Guyana.

Terra Invest

The group is spearheaded by Terra Invest Guyana and Suriname, a company made up of Dutch and Argentine investors; it was formed in 2021, online web portal Mongabay.com reported recently.

The company acts as a negotiator on behalf of the Mennonites and its founders made trips to Guyana last year, scouring for lands for the religious group, the report stated.  The group is still actively looking for land here on behalf of the Mennonites.

“It looked at the region of Upper Demerara-Berbice and East Berbice-Corentyne with the hope of purchasing plots larger than 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres) for “long-term” ownership,” the Mongabay report stated.

Investigating possibilities

Kaieteur News reached out to Terra Invest and its director Ruud Souverein who pointed out that Guyana has “good land” for agriculture. “In this moment we {are}only investigating the possibilities to buy land in Guyana,” the Dutch businessman said, adding that the company does not have any, “concrete plans as yet.”

Asked whether the company engaged the Government of Guyana on its plans, Souverein responded in the negative. However, this publication understands that the group is reportedly working to ink a deal to invest in an agriculture project here.

Souverein reiterated that the company has its eyes set on the Berbice area for its agricultural projects and this is tied to the rich potential of the soil there. “We think in the east of Guyana,” he said, adding that the area suits the group’s agricultural project, specifically at Ebini. “There is very good land for agriculture but till now we don’t find land what is for sale and have normal international prices,” the businessman said.

Reduce food import bill

Souverein spoke highly of the Mennonites and he noted that their agricultural practices will boost the sector, thereby increasing productivity while simultaneously reducing the country’s food import bill. “It could help Guyana to produce, export food, help to reduce the import in Caricom,” he said.

The Dutch businessman noted that the Mennonites will produce soy, corn, grains, meat, chicken and milk.

Deforestation implications

“This is serious business,” said Ben D’Leon ​, a member of the non-governmental organisation, Amazon Conservation Team, Suriname which also has officials here in Guyana. “They’re possibly aiming to use pristine forest to make their agricultural lands,” he told Mongabay.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in a statement published in June2023 warned of land rights and deforestation implications which the Mennonites leave in their wake.

“Based on evidence from other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the Community will use these lands for agriculture development, accelerating deforestation and potential conflict with the Indigenous People who relate with these forests,” the WWF said.

In addition, the WWF said that, “the income from large-scale agriculture, developed by the Mennonites, benefits the organisation and the necessities of the community.”

However, according to the conservation agency, while it is welcomed “as a boost to the local economy, there are increasing concerns over biodiversity loss, irreversible deforestation, forest fires, and friction with indigenous and tribal peoples over land rights and corruption.”

Who are Mennonites?

The Mennonites, like the Amish religious group, belong to the Anabaptist faith. They are known globally for living a conservative lifestyle often cutoff from the modernity of the world such as the internet.

Their beliefs are similar, however, the differences in their lifestyle are mainly related to use of modern means of living. Unlike the Amish, the Mennonites are permitted to use motorised vehicles. They are also permitted to own home phones and use electricity within their homes, unlike the Amish.

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• Central, Guyana, large-scale, Mennonites, project

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