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Alternative livelihood component of mangrove project gaining momentum - women’s agriculture group hosts successful farmers’ market day

Georgetown, GINA, October 30, 2011
Source - GINA

Chairperson of the Mangrove Restoration Project, Annette Arjoon-Martins during a power-point presentation[/b]
The Ministry of Agriculture through the Mangrove Restoration Project and as part of its curtain closer for Agriculture month, held activities this morning at the mangrove restoration centre in Cove and John, East Coast Demerara.

The activity attracted scores of persons to support the Mangrove Reserve Women’s Agriculture Producer group, who had on sale organic produce made from products that were harvested from mangrove protected areas.

This initiative is part of the alternative livelihood component of the Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP).

The activity allowed the women’s group to explore their entrepreneurship skills with various products including coconut oil, honey and beeswax candles among other organic products.

GMRP is funded by the Government of Guyana and the European Union.

Patrons interacting with members of Mangrove Reserve Women’s Agriculture Producer group

The event saw several power-point presentations by the Chairperson of the GMRP, Annette Arjoon-Martins and other members of GMRP team.

The event is part of a move to promote a green and cleaner environment, since the products are all environmentally-friendly, Arjoon-Martins said. She invited interested persons to join the group.

“Inter- American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization and the Institute of Applied Science and Technology recently met the women’s groups to explore other ways to maximize the use of mangrove products in a suitable and environmentally-friendly ways,” Arjoon said.

She praised the private sector for their continual support towards the project “which saw over $10M in billboards donated”.

Some of the members of the Mangrove Reserve Women’s Agriculture Producer group with their produce at the Farmers Market Day event at Cove and John

The GMRP, she said has been holding educational seminars in schools and other public places, teaching people about mangrove conservation.

The mangrove manual, restoration and management component was recently added to the secondary school curriculum.

Persons were also provided with the opportunity to educate themselves on the various types and species of mangroves grown in Guyana and their significant contribution towards protecting Guyana’s coastline from erosion and other natural disasters.

The event was sponsored by Digicel.

The GMRP project was implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Agriculture Research & Extension Institute (NAREI).

The main objective of the project is to seek the commitment of Guyanese towards the protection and development of sustainable mangrove forests. The project commenced activities in February 2010 and is working in the areas of administrative capacity development, research, community development and capacity-building, mangrove restoration (replanting), monitoring and awareness and education.

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