Pres Ali proposes modern poultry hub, tourism, agro-processing push to drive jobs in Region 2

President Dr Irfaan Ali has proposed the establishment of a modern poultry farming hub in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) as part of a plan to expand economic opportunities, create sustainable employment and develop agriculture, tourism and small businesses across the region. Speaking during community consultations at Good Hope and Suddie, Ali highlighted the number of residents already involved in backyard poultry farming and the challenges that can arise when such activities are conducted on a small scale in residential communities. “In this whole area, the NDC (Neighbourhood Democratic Council), you may have about 40 people who are doing chicken in the backyard. Whether you’re doing 300, 400, or 500. And every day you’re in contact with a neighbour or somebody. Isn’t that true?” Ali said.

He proposed bringing the farmers together in a designated poultry farming cluster, supported through the Guyana Development Bank (GDB), allowing them to expand production while maintaining ownership stakes in the operation. “We can take those same 40 persons, put them in a cluster under the Guyana Development Bank and have an area designated for poultry farming where they can do 25,000, all of them owning a stake in that without having these conflicts in the community and making more money with a modern way of doing poultry,” the President said. The proposed model would allow farmers to move away from individual backyard operations and towards a structured commercial system, with the potential for significantly increased production. Ali said the initiative is intended to address conflicts associated with backyard poultry farming while providing farmers with an opportunity to increase their earnings through modern production methods. The proposal is part of Government’s efforts to establish designated agricultural hubs, where farming activities can be concentrated and developed on a larger and more sustainable scale.

Economic opportunities
Apart from poultry production, Ali identified tourism, agro-processing, small-business development and value-added production as key areas through which Government intends to generate sustainable employment and expand economic opportunities in Region Two. Addressing residents during the Anna Regina Model Community consultation at the Anna Regina Secondary School auditorium, Ali said development of the region must go beyond infrastructure and focus on creating an economic environment capable of generating lasting jobs and income for residents.

“We want to invest in these small businesses, to create a safe and secure environment, to create an environmentally pleasing environment. We want to invest in agro-processing. We want to invest in value creation,” the President said. He said Region Two is already emerging as a major supplier of tourism products, but there is significant potential to expand the sector through investment in tourism infrastructure and the development of new attractions and experiences. Ali said Government is also examining opportunities for private-sector investment, with the objective of creating economic activity that would have a wider impact on communities. “We want to ensure that the region is built up in such a way that it creates economic opportunities, economic spin-off that will not only lead to job creation, but that will lead to sustainable job creation in regional areas,” he said.
The President identified the coconut industry as one area where agriculture and tourism could be combined to create new income-generating opportunities. He said coconut farmers in the Pomeroon have raised concerns about difficulties in securing workers to harvest their crops and suggested that coconut farms could instead become part of the tourism experience, allowing visitors to participate in coconut picking and purchase what they harvest. “One of the things that the farmers complain to me about is that they can’t get workers to pick the coconut. Well, I have a solution. Let us make the coconut farms part of the tourism world and invite people to come and pick coconut on the farms, just like people go to pick apples and pick strawberries. And then, whatever they pick, they buy it,” Ali said. He said the concept could be developed into a wider tourism product, with visitors experiencing coconut harvesting, farm activities and locally produced coconut-based food and drinks.

“Momentum of opportunities”
According to Ali, the initiative is an example of how existing agricultural and natural resources can be transformed into new economic opportunities. “These things may seem strange, but these are important natural assets that we have that we can enjoy,” he said. Ali also highlighted the potential of sports tourism to create additional economic activity, arguing that sports facilities should be integrated into a broader tourism and recreational system. He explained that hotels and other tourism facilities should be surrounded by activities that encourage visitors to spend more time within communities, including sporting and recreational activities.
The President said the development of attractions and supporting infrastructure can create a “momentum of opportunities” by drawing visitors and stimulating spending within surrounding communities. He said Government’s broader vision is to develop communities that are not only safe and resilient, but also economically vibrant and capable of providing opportunities for residents. “We want to look at in developing a comprehensive, sustainable, resilient community that brings value, that adds value. Communities that are livable, that you enjoy living in. And that is what we want to demonstrate today,” Ali said. Among those attending the Model Communities consultations were Housing Minister Collin Croal; Minister within the Housing Ministry Vanessa Benn; Minister within the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry Pauline Sukhai; Director General of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Sonia Latchman; Regional Chairman Devin Mohan; Regional Vice Chairman Humace Oodit and other regional officials and representatives.