Although much has been achieved, President Irfaan Ali insists that a lot more needs to be done if the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is to reduce its food importation costs while simultaneously boosting its agricultural sector.
According to an Office of the President release on Friday, this remark was made virtually at the launch of the 17th Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2023, being held under the theme, “Accelerating Vision 25 by 2025”.
The President also noted that this reduction in the food importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025 can be done through the implementation of transformative projects in the country. Such projects, he said, will significantly increase the productivity of priority commodities. Going further, he explained that the transformative projects in Guyana include corn and soya production and other high-value crops while noting that the country has significantly increased coconut, rice, livestock, and poultry production. In addition, the government is also engaged in a number of other initiatives including the construction more shade houses across the country and the resuscitation of the cocoa and coffee industries.
The Head of State proceeded to dive into the details. He informed that as of the first half of 2023, Guyana has cultivated over 3,000 acres of soybean and over 1,200 acres of corn, and by the end of 2026, there will be 50,000 acres of land cultivated in corn and soya. He boasted that this project – a co-investment between the developers and the government – when fully matured by 2026, will be one of the largest investments in the region at approximately US$40 million.
Then there is the recently launched programme that will see 2,000 acres of land dedicated to the production of black-eye peas and red beans – an investment of more than US$5 million, while coconut production is expected to increase by over 200 per cent from 30,000 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020 to 100,000 MT in 2025. Ali noted that there have been over 5,000 newly established acres of coconut cultivated from 2021 January to June 2023 with 10 new coconut nurseries being established from 2020 to 2022. “Interestingly and importantly, these nurseries will also serve the needs of CARICOM.”
Ali also stated that priority is being given to the production of high-value crops including carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower, through the establishment by farmers, of shade houses across the country. And under Guyana’s Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, over 300 shade houses will be constructed to cultivate and target high-value crops.
The shade houses and programmes in turn, he disclosed, have led to promising results from the cultivation of a small batch of a variety of wheat. As a result, wheat production trials have been expanded at two locations and the success of these trials can lead to large-scale production of wheat in Guyana.
Also on the agricultural agenda is the resuscitation of cocoa and coffee and so far, coffee and cocoa plants have been distributed in hinterland areas. This programme, he noted, is expected to significantly increase the production of cocoa and coffee.
The president then moved on to discuss rice. Increased productivity is being achieved through research and development into new strains like for example, the introduction of the Guyana Rice Development Board’s (GRDB) 16 varieties in 2020. Research is also ongoing on a bio-fortified zinc variety. Further, the Seed Paddy Programme of the GRDB has been strengthened with the production of approximately 31,500 bags of high-quality seeds and the production of rice is expected to increase by 12 per cent from about 560,000 MT in 2021 to more than 625,000 MT in 2023, Ali added.
Turning to the livestock industry, President Ali noted that meat production is expected to increase by 43 per cent from more than 47,000 MT in 2020 to more than 67,000 MT in 2023, while it is projected to grow by 50 per cent in 2025. He also spoke of the country’s plan to increase mutton production. “Through collaboration with Barbados, Guyana aims to increase its mutton production, with the Mahaica/Berbice Administrative Region (Region Five) poised to become the livestock capital of CARICOM. As part of this programme, 1,000 Black Belly Sheep are being supplied by the Government of Barbados, with 473 having been received thus far. The third shipment is expected shortly.”
Pastures
The President added that 13,000 acres of pastures have been developed for cattle farmers for the advancement of the livestock industry while the construction of international standard Porcine and Bovine Abattoirs are underway.
Increasing dairy production is being pursued through the construction of two dairy processing facilities. These two facilities when completed would see an investment of more than US$30 million.
Next, Ali turned his attention to the fisheries sector. “Guyana continues to make major strides in the fisheries sector with the implementation of various initiatives aimed to expand productivity. More than US$2 million has been invested in aquaculture development. With 83 ponds constructed and 37 farmers benefiting from pond rehabilitation and improvement of drainage and irrigation facilities. Brackish water shrimp production has increased by almost 500%.” He explained that the production of prawns and the “lucrative” marine culture cage project are also expected to further boost Guyana’s aquaculture sector. The government, he added, has allocated $173 million in 2023 for the Skeldon Shrimp Project and Guyana will also launch a major marine cage project in its waterways.
The President also stressed the importance of the involvement of the private sector and highlighted its role in advancing CARICOM’s vision. He noted that CARICOM’s Ministerial Task Force on Agriculture and the Caribbean Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) have so far partnered to identify commodities that will receive regional policy support. These include, poultry, corn, soybeans and rice for feed production, meat (beef, pork and mutton), niche vegetables and coconut products.
“These priority commodities are poultry meat, corn, soybeans and rice for feed production, meat (beef, pork and mutton), niche vegetables and coconut products among others. The region’s ability to produce corn and soybeans is of central importance as part of the process of ramping up the production of poultry, which as you would be aware, is a significant protein source for the region.”
It was pointed out that thus far, CARICOM has achieved 57 per cent of the production objective towards reducing the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, and over the next two years, 1.4 million MT of commodities must be produced to reach the target. While seemingly a tall order, Ali expressed his belief that the region has the political will and the capacity to “achieve this and produce quality food for our people.”
And to emphasise his point, he also mentioned a number of notable areas of success in the region that contribute to CARICOM’s vision. These, he said, include the announcement of US$100 million support to the Region from the Government of the United States of America which includes support for the Region’s Food Security efforts; the launch of a Spice Development Programme in Jamaica; the development of a National Shade House Project initiative in Trinidad and Tobago; an increase of 5 per cent in local agricultural production along with a major domestic food security programme in St Lucia; an increase of over 5 per cent in small ruminant production in Dominica; expansion of 100 acres of the agricultural land lease programme and the launch of a new US$7.5 million tissue lab facility in Barbados; adoption of a suite of sanitary and phytosanitary legislation in Barbados; and Private Sector Support for a US$110,000 model cattle farm in Trinidad and Tobago. And in addition, the Government of Suriname has announced that they have made 75,000 hectares of land available for large-scale agricultural production, especially in grains.
“As we commence Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2023, let us hold fast to the vision of the 25% by 2025 programme and all that it promises. Let us refocus our efforts; let us recommit to collaborating even stronger in the process, and may CWA 2023, deliver with resounding success, its goals of presenting to stakeholders, new and emerging opportunities in the region,” President Ali asserted.
