Partnerships needed to develop mega-farms, agro-processing – PSC Chairman

…says private sector must play role in developing logistics plan for Region

Guyana is on the cusp of a dramatic reduction in the cost of energy, with projects such as the gas-to-energy project. While this has been touted as a game changer for various economic sectors, Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Komal Singh is also advancing the importance of partnerships to advance the agriculture sector.
During the recent opening of the agri-investment forum at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Singh noted that partnerships will be crucial in advancing projects on a large-scale basis, particularly agro-processing and agriculture-related projects.

“The private sector has a significant opportunity here to offer meaningful contributions, by forming consortiums and partnerships that will assist in developing major mega farms and agro-processing facilities, which will allow us to develop a robust agriculture sector in the Region,” Singh said.
“The logistic aspect also provides a huge opportunity in increasing the framework for shipping and transferring all goods and services throughout the Region. We have talked in the past, a lot, as it relates to developing the agri sector, grow more, etc.”
According to Singh, however, Guyana must also focus on including marketing and the logistics of moving processed goods into the Region, lest the country has a situation where it has processed agricultural products on its hands that it cannot effectively move.

“It is critical at this point of time that the private sector take the initiative at this point in time, to work on a more aggressive regional logistics approach, where we can move our products and services easily around the Region,” the PSC Chairman said.
The need for a better regional transport and logistics system is one that is being discussed at the level of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and has been called for by leaders including Guyana’s own President Dr Irfaan Ali.
President Ali has consistently called for solutions in the regional transport and logistics sector, explaining on one occasion that in order to transform the Caribbean into a regional food hub, there must be a better network for the movement of goods.
As far back as in 2021, while addressing a Regional Sub-Committee on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), President Ali had informed them that the Lead Head on Transport has been engaged with a view to developing specific recommendations to incentivise private sector interest and partnership in transport and logistics, in order to better serve the agri-food systems’ agenda.
He had explained that the Ministerial Taskforce had recognised transport and logistics as integral to the effective implementation of the Caricom agri-food systems agenda. According to him, there were options being explored.
Just last month, Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, as the incoming Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), had echoed the urgings of President Ali that an effective transportation system must be seen as priority for slashing the regional food import bill.
In his address during the opening ceremony of Caricom’s Heads of Government meeting, Skerrit spoke of the regional agricultural agenda and the importance of tackling all the hindrances to achieving the ‘25 by 2025’ target – hindrances such as non-tariff barriers, which hamper trade between countries.
While Skerrit acknowledged that early indications show the agriculture sector rising to meet the challenge, he added that a robust transportation system remains critical to slashing the regional food bill. The PM had urged the revitalisation of the Single Domestic Space and concerted measures to make travel between member states as seamless as possible.
It was also announced last year, during a joint press conference between President Ali and Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, that the possibility of establishing a ferry between the two territories, to strengthen collaboration in several areas, specifically agriculture, was being explored.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed recently that Caricom is mulling the implementation of a fast ferry to boost intra-regional trade. The regional bloc also has its eyes set on a maritime policy.