World Food Day: Guyana must act now to achieve potential of feeding Caricom – Agri Minister

…SoilCare Project launched

Guyana must act now to achieve its target of contributing to a 25 per cent reduction in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) food import bill by 2025.

This is according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who was at the time addressing a forum at Albion, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), as part of activities to observe World Food Day on Sunday.
Locally, this year, World Food Day is celebrated under the theme “Leave no one Behind”.
The Agriculture Minister pointed out that World Food Day is an annual reminder for all to join forces against hunger as a unified body with dedication and commitment.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has chosen as its theme, “Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life for all”.
Mustapha said this theme is synonymous with the Guyana’s goals of achieving “One Guyana”, as no one will be left behind and as the agriculture sector is being transformed, more nutritious food is produced for all and livelihoods are improved.
Noting that Guyana is in a different era, Mustapha pointed out that “the contextual framework of our world is nothing like that before us”.
He said there is a need to transform Guyana’s food systems in order to adapt to climate change.
“We have all witnessed the importance of a sustainable and growing agriculture in light of the disruptions to food supply during the pandemic and resulting from the Russia-Ukraine War. We are protecting livelihoods and planning for recovery.”
The number of people experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean increased from 205.2 million in 2019 to 267.7 million in 2021.
“Guyana must act now and create the environment to achieve our potential of feeding the Caricom Region.  Guyana led by His Excellency President Ali, has and will continue to contribute positively to the very important vision of the Caricom Region to reduce the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. The Government of Guyana therefore emphasises the need for increase in production, good agriculture practices, better nutrition, improved livelihoods and a better life for all of us,” Mustapha said.
He noted that in ensuring food security, there will be scope for sustainable employment opportunities for youths, women and other vulnerable groups. This he said will both generate income and improve livelihoods.
“Food security should not stop at increasing production but should be inclusive of increasing accessibility and improving nutrition for all Guyanese. The Government of Guyana is working on creating the enabling environment for sustainable food systems, ensuring intergenerational equity and encouraging the strengthening of local food production and consumption,” the Agriculture Minister said.

SoilCare Project
The forum and mini exhibition on Sunday also saw the launching of SoilCare Project.
The protect focus on restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable management of forests, combating desertification, and halting and reversing land degradation and halting biodiversity loss.
The Caribbean for Integrated Small Island Landscape Developing Restoration States (CSIDS-SoilCare) has been implemented to support initiatives of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
Mustapha noted that soil and water are essential to our food system. He said an estimated 95 per cent of our food is directly or indirectly produced on our soils.
“Therefore, I am happy to include this project launch with our World Food Day celebration. I noted the many benefits of the project and commit the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) of the Ministry of Agriculture as a key implementing partner of this Soilcare Project. I thank the FAO, Guyana Lands and Survey Commission and Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Management for working with us on this important project. We have seen increasing demand for user-friendly soils information.”
According to the Agriculture Minister, over the last seven years, NAREI has been only been able to digitalise 38 per cent of soil maps.
“This project will provide open-access National Soil Information (NSI) systems. It will expedite the digitalisation of the remaining 101 soil maps, and at the same time enhance technical skills and the soil laboratory.”
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Enrique Monize, at the project’s launch, noted that since 1997, Guyana has been a party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission has been the National Focal Point Agency to the UNCCD since 2003.
“Guyana remains committed to honouring our Convention obligations. One such demonstration of this was through our pioneering role in the Caribbean through voluntary setting, and endorsement at the highest level, of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and measures in 2017.”
Monize said SoilCare also aligns with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 where Government has prioritised environmental protection, restoration and enhancement measures, and has pledged to give special attention to reducing land degradation.
“It is also in keeping with Guyana’s Climate Resilience Strategy and Action Plan, which seeks to address the most significant climate risks and resilience actions and prioritises building climate-resilient agriculture systems,” he added. (G4)