Agriculture goes digital: Farmers to access real–time crop, soil & market info with new app

…regional data centre to be commissioned in March – Minister

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has said the Government is moving to digitise the agriculture and fisheries sectors with the launch of a national agriculture mobile application within the coming week, while a regional agriculture data centre and “situation room” are targeted for commissioning by March. The Minister made the announcements during an interview on the programme Starting Point, where he also outlined major 2026 investments in drainage, irrigation, farm-to-market roads, rice, sugar, and youth-led agriculture initiatives, while defending Government policy in the face of political criticism. “In another week from now, I will be launching an app where anyone can go on that app and get all the information on agriculture,” Mustapha said, explaining that the platform will consolidate weather forecasts, information from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and soil maps for the entire country. He said the app is designed to provide location-specific guidance to farmers and investors, including what crops are best suited for particular areas and which commodities offer stronger market prospects. “If you go into Black Bush Polder, it will tell you what kind of crop can grow in Black Bush Polder. You go to Linden and that will happen. You will see different areas, what are the type of crop you should plant to get a better market for it,” he stated. According to Mustapha, the app is the first major step in fully digitalising the agriculture sector, arguing that changing long-standing production habits will be just as critical as introducing new systems. “Farmers don’t take technology seriously… they want to do things the way they used to do them before… So, we want to change that concept. We want to change that culture,” he said.

Regional data centre
The Minister also revealed that Guyana is constructing a data centre and situation room that will serve not only Guyana but the wider Caribbean. He said the facility is approximately 75 per cent completed and is expected to be commissioned by March. “That data centre would not be only for Guyana, but the entire Caribbean,” Mustapha said, noting that a comparable centre exists in Costa Rica at the headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Once operational, the centre will provide real-time regional weather data, crop suitability guidance and soil mapping information, positioning Guyana as a central node in Caricom’s food security framework.

Fisheries modernisation
On the fisheries front, Mustapha said more than 500 vessels are now equipped with tracking devices linked to a central monitoring station, allowing authorities to track vessels at sea and respond to emergencies. “We have over 500 vessels now that have these tracking devices on them. And we have a central station that can monitor these vessels,” he said. The Minister also confirmed that the PAM digital platform [A “PAM” digital system is planned to integrate landing sites into a unified network] for the fishing industry is expected to be launched by the end of March, with plans to integrate landing sites across the country into the system. He said the Ministry is pairing the technology rollout with training and institutional strengthening, including rebuilding fisherfolk organisations and compiling a national database of industry participants. “The fishing industry is very fluid. People come here, work for a month and leave. We want to change that concept… because that is why we want to make it a more permanent job in the fishing industry,” he stated.

$113.2B agriculture budget
Mustapha pointed to a significant expansion in the agriculture budget, which now stands at $113.2 billion, compared with $104.6 billion last year. He said the allocation is funding major drainage and irrigation works, including high-level canals in Regions Five and Six, designed to move excess water directly to the Atlantic. He added that approximately 63 sluices are being undertaken nationwide, while 40 new pumps are expected to be procured this year as part of climate resilience efforts. Farm-to-market roads will also be expanded to improve access for farmers transporting produce.

Rice expansion, value-added push
The Minister highlighted record rice production in recent years, reporting that Guyana produced 725,000 tonnes in 2024 and 810,000 tonnes in 2025, with yields increasing from five tonnes per hectare to 6.6 tonnes per hectare. Acknowledging global price pressures due to major producers increasing supply on the world market, Mustapha said the Government has moved to cushion farmers through fertiliser support and per-bag contributions when paddy is sold. He also announced plans to construct a silo this year, with a $1 billion allocation, aimed at strengthening storage capacity and improving market resilience. Value-added production in rice is also being pursued as part of efforts to reduce vulnerability to global price fluctuations.

Youth, women and innovation
Mustapha said more than 300 young people are now shareholders in the Agriculture Innovation and Entrepreneurship initiative, participating in shade house cultivation and other modern farming ventures. He noted that a policy requiring 35 per cent participation of young people and women in new agriculture projects is being applied across the sector. Hydroponics, tunnel-ventilated pens and protected agriculture facilities are being expanded to modernise production and make the sector more attractive to a younger workforce, he said.