MINISTER of Agriculture Ravi Ratiram and Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West Dr Colin Gosine met with the Jerningham Farmers Association on Tuesday.
The meeting was held at the Jerningham Recreation Ground and emphasised the need for practical solutions and better communication between the ministry and those actively working the land, Gosine said.
He said the issues discussed included:
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Praedial Larceny: Farmers continue to suffer from theft of crops and livestock, which threatens their livelihood.
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Farmer Identification Badges: Farmers reported challenges in obtaining official badges, which some Ministry extension officers are insisting on before offering assistance. This has limited access to key services, despite many of these individuals actively working their lands.
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Drain Desilting: Poor drainage and blocked watercourses require urgent desilting to prevent flooding and protect crops.
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Land Tenure: Several farmers raised concerns about unresolved land tenure issues, which affect their long-term investment and access to services.
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Snail Bait: There is a shortage of snail bait, impacting farmers’ ability to control invasive pests damaging their crops.
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 Agricultural Development Bank (ADB): Farmers are encountering difficulties accessing loans from the ADB, which hinders their capacity to expand and modernize operations.
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The National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) Support: Challenges were raised regarding the marketing and sale of produce through NAMDEVCO, with farmers requesting more efficient systems to support sales and distribution.
