The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) yesterday announced that Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali will be the first recipient of the IICA Award for Contribution to Food Security and Sustainable Development.
IICA in a release said that it decided to present this award in recognition of the President’s leadership in agricultural transformation, food security and support for building resilient economies in a sustainable manner in Guyana and the Caribbean.
It said that the President’s support and commitment to public agendas related to issues such as regional integration, rural connectivity, social inclusion in the countryside and gender equality, are central areas of IICA’s work.
Since being elected President of Guyana, IICA said that President Ali has exercised his leadership as Head of Government in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, responsible for agriculture and rural development and has launched numerous initiatives focused on ensuring that sustainable agriculture remains a fundamental pillar for national and regional development.
In Guyana, it said that the most prominent initiatives include the Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (AEIP) targeting youth to become agribusiness owners; agricultural processing and value addition; the revival and expansion of the aquaculture industry; the advancement of the livestock industry and the programme for self-sufficiency in livestock feed with the production of corn and soybeans; updating legislation to expand investment and trade; large infrastructure projects for roads, drainage and irrigation.
At the regional level, IICA said that President Ali’s vision is reflected in actions to transform agriculture and sustainable development. It noted the goal of reducing the Caribbean’s US$6 billion food import bill by 25% by 2025.
The Guyana-Barbados Food Terminal Regional Food Hub is also being developed along with initiatives on logistics and transportation.
President Ali is expected to travel to IICA Headquarters for the Americas in San José, Costa Rica, as Guest of Honour and to inaugurate the Forty-third Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee of IICA on July 19, 2023.
IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture of the Inter-American System that supports the efforts of Member States to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being.
