Guyana’s agriculture sector setting the pace towards food security by 2025

Dear Editor,
Please permit me space in your letter columns to share my views on the agriculture sector in Guyana, as we are celebrating this year’s Agriculture Month under the theme “Accelerating Vision 25 by 2025: Investing in Agri-Business and Food Security”.
Over the past three years of the People’s Progressive Party Government, led by His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali, we have seen much importance being placed on the agriculture sector to ensure that it remains top of the agenda. The Agriculture Ministry for me, and I believe all will agree with me, is the most important Ministry in Government, because we all need food to survive, and this Ministry is tasked with ensuring we have food on our tables daily.
But having a Ministry with a visionless leader would fail, and we saw that during the tenure of the previous Government. Today we can say that the President Ali-led PPP/C Government put a man who knows about agriculture to lead that Ministry, because he came from that background and has a vision to ensure the agriculture sector in Guyana strives towards being top of Caricom when it comes to food security.
Over the past years of this administration, and since the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, MP, took up the mantle of heading the Agriculture Ministry, we have seen vast development in the sector, and I mean all of the agricultural sectors in Guyana. The Government is spending billions of dollars yearly to develop this sector in every way possible, and the private sector is also been actively involved since 2020.
Investing in the many D&I projects is helping our farmers to have better drainage systems for their crops, especially during this prolonged dry weather season.
We are seeing the effects that climate change is having, and because of the Government’s investments in this sector, farmers are able to cope with the prolonged dry weather, and we all know that water is very important for this sector.
We saw the major investments being made in the cash-crop industry, which was a dying industry prior to 2020; and the many opportunities being given to our farmers within the villages to get back to their lands to do farming, and they are proudly doing so. We saw the introduction of shade houses, etc.
Not only is the Government investing money into this sector, but technical assistance and training from NAREI is being given to the farmers countrywide. We are seeing a positive rise in the cattle and poultry industry by the introduction of new breeds of cattle to the farmers and also giving them the guidance needed. We saw the introduction of the black belly sheep project, etc. The poultry industry is on the rise on a daily basis, with the private sector taking up the many opportunities in getting into the industry. We saw the introduction of the black giant chicken project in the hinterland, etc.
Ther is much guidance and educational programmes being given to farmers by the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA). Rice farmers are now enjoying reductions in their land rates and D&I charges. We all know that under the previous Government, although no assistance was given to the industry, the then minister and Government imposed a rise in those charges, which was a burden to farmers. Many left their lands because they could not afford to pay those charges.
Under the previous Government, we saw VAT being put on machinery and agricultural products such as fertilizers, etc. It was a hardship for farmers. Today that VAT has been removed, and farmers are investing more and more into the industry. Many went back to their lands, and sought more lands to plant rice because that burden was removed. They have better drainage and irrigation systems to better their crops.
This brings me to mention the many farm-to-market roads that are being made across the country over the years, which give farmers better access to their produce brought out on a timely basis to market. These roads not only allow farmers to bring out their produce, but also to have better access to their farmlands.
We are seeing major investments and improvements in the fishing industry, and the introduction of ponds for blackwater shrimp projects in some of the regions. That project is seeing an increase in production.
I cannot forget to mention the many developments taking place in the hinterland regions of our country. We are seeing soya bean projects, rice planting, massive poultry rearing, cash crop farming, etc. Thousands of acres of land are being cleared to be developed into agricultural lands, and my brothers and sisters in the hinterland are taking full advantage of the many opportunities in the agriculture sector.
I must mention also that we recently saw the reopening of the Rose Hall Canje Sugar Estate, and sugar cane is being cultivated to produce sugar. Moreover, it will create hundreds of jobs for our people, and would ease the economic impact that those areas suffered under the previous Government.
Editor, there are very many positives happening in the agriculture sector under the strong and visionary leadership of Minister Mustapha MP. I can go on, but space may be limited if I should. With that being said, as a Guyanese, I can proudly say that under this People’s Progressive Party Government led by President Irfaan Ali, and with the strong and visionary leadership in the Agriculture Ministry being led by Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha MP, Guyana will become food secure by 2025, with the rapid pace the agriculture industry is moving forward.

Regards,
Abel Seetaram