Guyana receiving high interest from int’l investors for agri sector – Mustapha

– innovative financing must be explored during Agri Investment Forum

Ahead of the upcoming Agri Investment Forum and Expo, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has indicated that interest is high from foreign companies in available opportunities in Guyana’s agricultural sector.
The Agri Investment Forum is being held from October 20 to 22 of this year, under the theme “Accelerating Investment in Vision 25 by 2025”. At the opening ceremony last week, Mustapha spoke of the interest already building up in the expo and, specifically, investment opportunities in the sector.
“It is heartening to see the enthusiasm of international organisations, investors, and experts that have participated in previous agri investment and exposition, at the last forum in Guyana and in Trinidad and Tobago. Their presence reflects a shared commitment to the growth and prosperity of the Region’s agri food system.”
“It is against this background that already, we have received a number of interests from international organisations that are expected to be in Guyana from October 20 to 22, to ensure that we advance investment in the agri sector.”
The Minister further noted that together, the two sides must explore innovative financing options to make these investments a reality. Mustapha also made reference to the rapidly evolving global agriculture sector and innovations such as climate-smart agriculture.
He noted the importance of Guyana finding the right balance of evolving its agriculture sector in line with global norms, while also nurturing the unique strengths of Guyana’s traditional agriculture.
“It is the expectation that together, we will explore innovative financing models, harness cutting-edge technologies and amplify the impact of our collective efforts to propel us forward to a future filled with possibilities.”
“The global agri sector is rapidly evolving, with trends such as climate-smart agriculture, agri tech innovation, and supply chain resilience taking centre stage. We must heed the call of the times, aligning our strategy with international best practices while nurturing the unique strengths of our nation’s agricultural heritage.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud; Programme Manager of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Shaun Baugh; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Delma Nedd; Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Guyana Invest, Dr Peter Ramsaroop; members of the diplomatic corps, and others were also present at the launch of the agro-investment forum.
This is the third Agri Investment Forum and expo. The previous two editions were both held last year, one in Guyana and the other in Trinidad. During the first agri expo in May 2022, a number of regional agencies participated in round table discussions following the opening of the event.
Donor agencies worked directly with Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries to discuss their options and interests. And among the regional leaders who travelled to Guyana for the three-day event were the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley and Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Motley.
Other Caricom leaders who attended the Agri Forum and Expo included Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne; Prime Minister of Belize, Johnny Briceno; Dominica’s Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit; and Premier of Montserrat, Joseph Easton Taylor- Farrell. Moreover, Deputy Prime Minister of Bahamas, Chester Cooper and Agriculture Ministers from around the Region also attended the event.
During the inaugural event, Guyana served as the hub for potential investment talks.
Over 250 exhibitors displayed their booths, with international stakeholders from countries such as Jamaica, the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana, and Barbados. (G-3)