Black Belly Sheep programme: Last batch of sheep to arrive in country soon

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has announced that the Black Belly Sheep Project will be commencing shortly, as the Government looks to aggressively tackle food insecurity and reduce the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM’s) food import bill.
Barbados had earlier this year agreed to send 1000 sheep to Guyana to kickstart this project as the two countries entered a collaboration with the overall goal of building a regional brand of sheep to decrease the importation of lamb and mutton products into the region.
Last August, Guyana received the first 132 sheep from Barbados, consisting of 112 ewes and 20 rams.
“Recently, another 300 came in. Just about 100 are remaining. I’m hoping that within a few weeks from now, we’ll get that,” Mustapha said during a tool distribution exercise in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
“We’ll start to roll out the programme shortly. I will not wait until the 100 arrive. We have close to about 850 in the country,” Mustapha said.

This sheep breed is primarily raised for meat and other high-demand by-products. Guyana reportedly possesses enough land, an appropriate climate, and all other prerequisites for increasing the production of black belly sheep.
Through this project, the sheep will be given to farms to assist in mixing their breeds.
Since the programme’s launch in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) last March, Minister Mustapha noted that there has been considerable interest from farmers, with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) working alongside them to ensure a smooth rollout.
“We already have a number of farmers who would’ve registered and who want to get in the programme. The President would’ve launched that a long time ago in Region Five. Now we have close to the number [of sheep] talked about – 1000,” Mustapha said.
The Government expended approximately $600 million to start this project, and later another $17.7 million to provide additional resources to maintain it.
Major infrastructural work to support this project continues to progress. For one, a $257 million all-weather 4300m road at Blairmont, West Bank Berbice is being constructed, as well as fences and living quarters for those supervising the project.
In addition to attaining Guyana’s goal of reducing CARICOM’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, this project also seeks to provide women, youths and persons with disabilities with a means of sustainable income.