With $20.3 billion allocated to the agriculture sector in this year’s national budget, among the ministry’s plans are the development of a milk pasteurisation plant, an agriculture station for water harvesting in Region Nine and a strategy which focuses on “five F’s.”
In unveiling the $230 billion budget for 2016 in the National Assembly on Friday, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan identified several projects which government would pursue.
“The Ministry of Agriculture has adopted a strategy which focuses on five F’s: food security, fibre and nutritious food, fuel production, fashion and health products, and furniture and craft,” he said while adding that there are a set of practical action plans linked to measurable targets in all of these five areas.
“In total, $20.3 billion has been allocated to the agricultural sector to create an economic environment in which farming and agro-processing operations can grow the economy and create employment,” he said.
Jordan pointed out that over $598 million has been allocated to enhance diversified agriculture in the hinterland, riverain communities and the intermediate and Rupununi savannahs. Government also proposes to establish several research, training and extension facilities in locations such as Ebini, Hosororo, Manari and Bina Hill, to promote sustainable food production systems that can help maintain the ecosystem and strengthen the capacity for adaptation to climate change, drought, flooding and other disasters.
The minister noted that livestock production is an important industry within the agricultural sector. He said government intends to re-energise the cattle industry through the development of a milk pasteurisation plant.
“Additionally, plans are underway for the development of 4000 acres of state lands situated in Region 9, for the purpose of constructing an agriculture station. This station will serve as a pilot for the sustainable harvesting of surface water for agriculture in this region. The land will be utilized for the rearing of cattle and small ruminants; aquaculture; and planting of rice and vegetables,” he declared.
Jordan added that the livestock sub-sector will be further fortified with increased focus on animal health to address known and emerging diseases.
Further, the minister said that there will also be increased focus on the fisheries sector and efforts to attain Marine Stewardship Certification for the sea bob sub-sector will continue. He said this will be complemented with the full implementation of the Vessel Monitoring System on all trawlers and the enforcement of no-trawl zones and the harvest control rule. Further, government will support innovation in sustainable aquaculture and the inland fisheries sector with research and promotion of new marketable species, Jordan said.
He had also noted that government will inject $9 billion into the struggling Guyana Sugar Corporation and will continue to support the rice industry to access new trade partners.
“Mr Speaker, Guyana’s vision for agriculture by 2020 is to promote the sector as a wealth generator and entrepreneurial enterprise, producing food and non-food commodities to meet the needs of the country and our regional and international partners. Issues of national and regional food security mandate that we must diversify into new crops and open up new lands for agriculture in areas not prone to flooding. The promotion of non-traditional agriculture, aquaculture, and food processing, alongside the commodities that have traditionally dominated our agricultural landscape, must bear fruit in coming years. The Government, therefore, remains committed to the promotion of agricultural diversification initiatives, while also restoring the competitiveness of the traditional agricultural sectors,” Jordan said.
