Black Belly Sheep population surpasses 3000 as Govt pushes to cut mutton imports

– cross-breeding to develop regional brand commenced

The Government of Guyana, through the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), is making remarkable progress in developing a regional brand of mutton through its Black Belly Sheep programme. During a meeting with a delegation from Barbados, headed by Barbados’ Minister of Agriculture and Food and Nutritional Security, Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed that since the project was launched in Region Five in March 2022, significant progress has been made, with the national herd exceeding 3000.

“I know one of the main areas we have to discuss is the progress of the Black Belly Sheep programme. In August 2022, we received the first tranche of sheep, totaling 131. We later received three other sets. The second tranche totaled 342, the third, 234, and the fourth, 293. To date, we’ve increased the stock to over 3,000,” Mustapha explained. He also noted that the cross-breeding component of the initiative has commenced as the Government advances its efforts to develop a regional brand aimed at reducing the importation of mutton from New Zealand.
This, he added, is in keeping with CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 + 5” Initiative, which seeks to reduce the regional food import bill by 25 per cent by the end of 2030.
As part of the initiative, the GLDA is also implementing an ongoing programme through which 60 farmers from Region Five have each benefited from five-acre production plots. These plots will function as controlled small-ruminant production units dedicated to the rearing and finishing of sheep under the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Project. To date, 54 farmers have been allocated their respective plots and are expected to commence production by the second quarter of 2026. Mustapha noted that this structured approach is expected to generate several strategic outcomes. “First, it will contribute to the development of a standardised sheep production model that can be replicated across other regions. Second, the concentration of finishing operations will enhance supply chain efficiency, thus facilitating coordinated slaughter, processing, and distribution systems. Third, by producing consistent, high-quality lamb and mutton, the initiative will strengthen the reliability of domestic supply while positioning Guyana to capitalise on emerging regional and extra-regional export opportunities,” he explained.
The Minister said that one core objective of the project is to increase local mutton production to over 7000 tonnes by the end of year five and to reduce the regional importation bill by 25 per cent. In 2022, President Dr Irfaan Ali launched the major Black Belly Sheep Project in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), with the aim of making the region the Livestock Capital of Guyana while improving the social and economic well-being of its residents. The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Project in Guyana represents a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the livestock sector, enhancing regional food security, and expanding economic opportunities for farmers. The project, launched by the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the Government of Barbados, forms part of a broader regional effort to reduce reliance on imported meat products and to develop a sustainable sheep production industry within the Caribbean.