President announces agricultural projects for Mainstay/Whyaka Village, Capoey

In line with the government’s intention to boost the agriculture industry nation-wide, Mainstay/Whyaka Village and Capoey in Region Two are to benefit from government-sponsored agricultural projects, according to an announcement by President Irfaan Ali.

The Office of the President in a release yesterday, informed that President Ali, while on a visit to Region Two, announced three agriculture projects for the Mainstay/Whyaka Village, and a “massive” fishing project for Capoey. He posited that these projects are “expected to increase economic resilience, expand the economic base, open new economic opportunities and open new forms of employment for the residents of the communities and surrounding areas.”

The Mainstay/Whyaka residents were told that the government would invest in a facility for a special poultry project aimed at satisfying the meat demands for the Lake Mainstay Resort and the village.

Further, the project, will be financed by the Government and led by young residents. Ali noted that the government is also aiming to make young people understand that agriculture has dignity and that the new methods of farming include technology, scientific method and research and development.

The President disclosed that he had asked the Ministry of Agriculture to look at the communities of Mainstay and Capoey and to propose a model for the investment. Currently, he informed, Mainstay resort has a demand for almost 1,000 pounds of chicken per month.

The second project, the president announced, will see the government providing the capital investment for a commercial marine cage aimed at providing 11 metric tonnes of fish every nine months in the community. He said that as early as next week, technical staff from the Ministry of Agriculture will be in the community to establish the project.

Currently, officials are conducting tests and scouting a suitable location. The requirement for the project is a threemetre depth of flowing water and a 30metre circumference.

“Once we do this right... the annual profitability can be as much as $10 million... So we are not sitting and waiting, we are looking at ways, methods, policies and programmes that we can bring on board to uplift your life. Because that is what we want - we want all of you to benefit from the prosperity,” the Head-ofState was quoted as saying.

The third project, he said, will be to expand the pineapple production in the village.

“You are known to produce the best pineapple - we want to work with the village and farmers to see how we can accelerate this production, to see how we can add value once again to this production.”

Ali also committed to repairing the community access road in order to realise its “tremendous” tourism and agriculture potential.

“The Government is with you... we are with you, together we have to do this. This requires all of us to think differently also— we have to think about the bigger picture, the macro picture... We have to embrace the future together and build together. The Government is your partner, as your President, I am your partner.”

And at a community meeting in Capoey, he informed residents that the marine cage project is aimed at producing over 30,000 metric tonnes of fish that is expected to bring in more than $6 million in profit annually.

The project will be spearheaded by the villagers.

It was also announced that the government would be procuring a 32-seater bus to assist the village with transportation.

In both communities, the President handed over sports equipment to the youths, the release added.