Guyana’s food testing capabilities were significantly improved on Saturday when the Agriculture Ministry commissioned the new $520 million Guyana Food Safety Authority’s (GFSA) Laboratory and Office at the Ministry’s La Bonne Intention complex on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
IDB Country Rep, Lorena Solorzano Salazar and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha unveiling facility’s plaque
The new facility was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through its Sustainable Agriculture Development Programme. The facility’s laboratory is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment capable of testing a wide range of commodities to ensure they are safe for consumption. The equipment can also be used to conduct sophisticated traceability studies and analyses and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving global food safety landscape.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that the new facility will be key in supporting Guyana’s agriculture push whilst also ensuring the consumers are receiving high quality products.
“The agriculture sector is moving and moving rapidly. We are not only engaged in the primary activities alone, we are now taking that to a further step, a further stage in moving it to value-added activities and this laboratory here this morning is testament to that, where we want the sector to move. As you know, Guyana’s agricultural sector is undergoing rapid transformation.”
“We are seeing more demand for the produce that we are producing in Guyana but at the same time, they want higher and better quality of produce and labs like these will enable us to ensure that we produce those products at a better and higher quality.”
Moreover, as the Caribbean Community works aggressively to slash the region’s food importation bill, the Agriculture Minister told farmers and agro-processers at the event that they will have a major role to play in filling the supply gap both locally and regionally.
“We have to increase food production to meet both the local and regional demand. Farmers who are here, you the agro-processors who are here, will have to fill in the slots that will be created when we reduce that 25 per cent of import into the region and that is why we are preparing and modernising the sector, so that you can take up the opportunities that will be created when that time comes.”
Echoing similar sentiments was Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture Dr Richard Blair who highlighted that facilities of such nature are critical in safeguarding international reputation as well as citizens health.
“Food safety forms an integral part of our national development it protects our citizens, builds consumer trust, and it opens doors to our much-needed international markets. With Guyana’s growing agricultural and agri-processing sectors, these facilities must be seen as an investment in safeguarding our citizens and enhancing our international reputation of food produced right here in Guyana.”
The Advisor added. “These facilities I know are designed to provide advanced testing capabilities, provide a safe training, support regulatory enforcement, and empower the Ghana Food Safety Authority (GFSA) to carry out its mandate more effectively and efficiently. This achievement is a testament to our collaborative efforts spanning many agencies, our Governments, commitment, and our developing partners.”
Additionally Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Country Representative Lorena Solorzano Salazar underscored the importance of upholding the highest production standards in the agriculture market.
“And it’s essential to establish with high standards because today it’s not just about growing the products, but also the markets, international markets are requiring, and also the local markets, so the consumers are requiring flexibility, quality of what we are eating or drinking. So make sure that the highest standards follow international and local trade standards that’s a pivotal step in the modernising Guyana food safety system.”
Meanwhile, the IDB Sustainable Agriculture Programme aims to Increase productivity of the agricultural sector while maintaining a sustainable and climate resilient use of natural resources in Guyana. The specific objectives are: produce high quality data for the agricultural sector, increase productivity, especially for medium and small farmers and increase sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards and access to meat processing facilities.
