Agri Ministry, HMGInc to introduce Smart Agriculture training programme

The Ministry of Agriculture will collaborate with the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc (HMGI) to introduce a Smart Agriculture training programme geared to benefit youths from Port Mourant and other areas along the Corentyne Coast. This was disclosed by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha while delivering the feature address at the Mission’s second graduation exercise on Saturday. Minister Mustapha said in the coming months, the Ministry’s National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will develop the project which is expected to cost approximately $7 million.

“Today, Guyana is leading the agriculture and food security (agenda) in CARICOM. Our President is leading that agenda. Since he has taken up that leadership, we’ve seen as renewed interest in agriculture amongst member states. This institution has engaged my office to collaborate to develop a programme. I’ve already made a shade-house available and I’ll also instruct NAREI to work with the institution to set up a system where we can train young people and women in this area in smart agriculture practices and techniques. That project will cost $7 million,” he explained.

“As a Government we recognise the importance of education. Over the last five years, there’s been a number of skills training programmes that were introduced across the country through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). The Government has also increased the budgetary allocation to the education sector, with the 2025 allocation being $175 billion so that young people can have the opportunity to be well educated and improve their skills,” he noted. Ninety-two students graduated from the Mission with certificates in diverse vocational and skills training programmes.