GMSA, Agri Ministry establish strategic partnership

Following a meeting on Tuesday between Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and a delegation from the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) a strategic partnership has been established with the setting up of a Joint Working Group to address issues in the Agriculture and Agro-processing Sector.
The GMSA, in a statement, also said it has given a commitment to collaborate with the GMSA and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on a major webinar on agriculture and agro-processing being convened on September 23.
The meeting, convened over the Zoom digital platform, appraised the minister on key issues affecting the agro-processing sector, which include high cost of production linked to energy, access to raw materials, and taxation; access to financing; technology and skills; marketing and market access; and the enabling environment and ease of doing business.
Minister Mustapha took the opportunity to be appraised of some of the Ministry’s priorities, and underlined the commitment to working in partnership with the Private Sector to realise more opportunities for Guyanese and Guyanese businesses. In this regard the Minister extended an invitation to GMSA to field persons to be part of Boards of key organisations under the agriculture sector.
According to GMSA President Shyam Nokta, “The GMSA welcomes the setting up of the Joint Working Group. It presents a unique opportunity between Private Sector and Government to work together to address challenges and to grow the agriculture and agro-processing sectors.
“Agriculture will be a key sector for Guyana’s future for food security and income and job creation. We are pleased that in the Government’s 2020 Emergency Budget, His Excellency President Irfaan Ali has identified key measures aimed at agriculture and agro-processing. Our approach is not only to call on Government to take action, but to also come to the table with initiatives the GMSA will undertake.”
Among its efforts, GMSA’s UncappeD Initiative has sought to advance agro-processing through initiatives aimed at raising awareness, product promotion, networking, market access, capacity development. GMSA has been able to bring SMEs into its network, and in this new normal due to COVID-19, the organisation is moving ahead with UncappeD through the setting up of an online portal to promote agro-processors and their products with a major focus being on SMEs.
The GMSA delegation was led by Shyam Nokta, President of the organization, and included Ramsay Ali, Chair of the GMSA Agro-processing Subsector, and GMSA Executives Ramesh Dookhoo, Raymond Ramsaroop (Edward B Beharry and Company); Vasudeo Singh (Demerara Distilleries Limited), Lakeram Autaram; Chris Persaud (UMAMI); Sherl Daniels, along with members of the GMSA Secretariat.