Guyana moving towards more technology-driven agriculture – Pres Ali

– reiterates level playing field for foreign, local investors

With Guyana’s current trajectory of incorporating more technology in the various economic sectors, particularly agriculture, President Dr Irfaan Ali recently highlighted Guyana’s attractiveness as an investment destination during his recent visit to the Dominican Republic last week.
While on his trip, the President sat down with Mercado Media Network for an interview during which he spoke of the exciting new opportunities in Guyana, including in the agriculture sector where he said more technology is being introduced.
“We are one of the most competitive countries when it comes to our natural assets for food production. Fresh water, brackish water, aquaculture, corn and soya production, and grains production generally. And we have large tracts of land. We’re looking to expand our poultry livestock production.”

“We’re investing in technology-driven agriculture, moving towards the technological transformation of the economy. Looking at digitisation. AI, robotics. So, a lot of exciting things are going on in the country,” Ali said.
According to President Ali, a level playing field for foreign and local investors currently exists in Guyana. Additionally, he reminded that the Government is making massive investments in infrastructure and developing an economy based on the Low Carbon Development Strategy.
“There are a lot of areas where we’re going to collaborate. Energy. Petrochemical. Agriculture. Tourism. Food production systems. And then we signed the general agreement in terms of investment and how investment is treated. So, we’re creating a seamless, smooth business environment.”
“Where the two private sectors that collaborate and cooperate and work, with the ease of doing business and efficiency of doing business. So foreign investors are treated equally as local investors. In many other countries, there are disparities between the treatment of foreign and local investors. In Guyana’s case, foreign investors are treated equally.”
According to the President, the Government is working on creating a new model in Guyana that emphasises partnerships between foreign and local investors. He also cited other advantages that doing business in Guyana has, which include democratic institutions and political stability. There are also existing partnerships between major international and local companies.
“We have massive foreign investments in mining, from Australia, Canada. We have all the major sectors that have transformed the economy and contributed significantly to growth and development, had major investment from foreign investors.”
“The oil and gas sector is a consortium of the Government and three other foreign investors. Exxon, CNNOC, and Hess. So, we have a strong history, working with multi-nationals and our credentials are very strong.”
While in the Dominican Republic, delegates from the local private sector had met and inked agreements with their Spanish-speaking counterparts last week. At the bilateral level, Guyana had inked an agreement of its own with the Dominican Republic, for a 50,000 barrels per day oil refinery to be built here.
When it comes to agriculture, the joint production of agricultural products such as corn and soybeans, as well as partnerships in the poultry sector, were discussed. President Ali had said at the time that the agreements inked in agriculture between the two countries will ensure their prominence at the table whenever food security is discussed.
“When it comes to food security, with the partnership we’re establishing with the Dominican Republic today, the transfer of technology, knowledge, the building of capital, the integration of markets, the integration of our food systems and agriculture portfolio, there will be no conversation on food security, especially in this Region, without the two countries being a part of it,” he had said following the signing of the agreements.
According to President Ali, record-breaking trade is already being recorded between the two countries. He was optimistic that this would only improve over the coming years. In particular, the President said that they are targeting markets such as aquaculture. He stressed, however, that the two countries are not limiting themselves to the traditional sectors.
The Agriculture Ministry was allocated $33.2 billion in Budget 2023. The Government’s focus on agriculture is down to the vision of making Guyana the bread basket of the Caribbean and reducing the regional food import bill. With the assistance of more diversified crops, Guyana is aiming to reduce Caricom’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. (G-3)