Social service provided through the Mining Training and Extension Centre (MTEC): agroforestry training for farmers of Brownsweg, Brokopondo

The farmers of Brownsweg who participated in the CELOS agroforestry project had their third training session on Thursday 25 July 2024. Before the session, the farmers received a presentation about the EMSAGS project. During this presentation, they were informed about the EMSAGS project , what the aim of this project is and what the link is with the agroforestry project that CELOS is carrying out. After the presentation about the EMSAGS project, they moved on to the agroforestry training sessions. 17 farmers participated in the training.

Quotes from farmers that attended the session

Mrs. A. Zeegelaar, 40 years old from the village of Nieuw Ganze, Brownsweg  “I found the sessions educational. I was informed about the EMSAGS project. It is good that they are going to promote environmentally responsible mining techniques among the small-scale gold miners and also stimulate existing livelihoods such as agriculture. I have learned to do agriculture in a different way, which is better for nature. I think the MTEC building is a very good training facility. You can see things better on the TV when showing images and videos, compared to a wall that is often used for projection”.

Mrs. E. Finisie, 51 years old from the village Kadjoe, Brownsweg “I found the sessions good. The presentation about the EMSAGS project was very good and I am glad that such a project is being carried out. They do not only think about the small-scale gold miners, but also about other groups such as farmers. During the CELOS trainings I have learned many things, such as how to plant in a modern way, plant propagation techniques with regard to certain crops such as banana, eddo leaf, how to use fertilizer and which type of fertilizer. Furthermore, I have learned that I don’t have to cut open a new agricultural plot every year, but use the same agricultural plot to plant again. Agroforestry is something new to me, but I am going for the new challenge to learn new things. Following training in the MTEC building, gives me the feeling that I am really in a training center, because of all the facilities of this building. We are growing and our knowledge is increasing.”