Seafield farmers to occupy lands following dispute resolution

Forty-nine farmers in Seafield, Region Five, will be permitted to occupy their leased lands following a resolution to a long-standing dispute that has hindered local agricultural activity. Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha announced the decision during a meeting with residents of Shieldstown and Seafield.

The resolution addresses competing interests between cattle farmers and those focused on cash and multi-purpose crops. It was agreed that multi-purpose crop farmers will receive specific land portions, while cattle farmers are required to organize into a group before individual leases are issued to prevent future conflicts regarding collective ownership.

In addition to the land dispute, the meeting addressed several other agricultural concerns, including drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market roads, payments from the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA), and market opportunities for shrimpers.