THE Ministry of Agriculture yesterday ushered in the Agriculture Month observations with a traditional inter-faith service and brunch.
The ceremony which was held on the Ministry of Agriculture’s lawns, Regent Street and Vlissengen Road saw the participation of members from the Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities who engaged the audience with songs and prayers.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud while delivering remarks said that the prayer service is part of the observance of Agriculture Month, and reminded the gathering of the importance of having God) in the midst of any and everything one does.
He stressed that farmers play an important role in ensuring that the economy remains food secure and called on society to respect and support their culture, despite one’s religious background.
“We need to be very focused and to ensure that we have faith as it is our hope that this ceremony would inspire all to have faith in the sector and the people are integrally involved, since food is the sustenance of life,” he said.
He added that it is a blessing to be integrally involved in agriculture and he urged support for the activity since agriculture is currently a major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Guyana is more fortunate than many countries, when it comes to food security and several initiatives have been implemented to provide aid to the farming community and the alleviation of poverty.
“Let us together be good and faithful people. We must always be positive, and not in anyway be distracted by people who would want to take us down the wrong path, by turning our focus to the negative,” Persaud exhorted.
The ceremony coincided with Agriculture Night last evening at GuyExpo which attracted hundreds of persons. The Ministry hosted several booths showcasing the significance of agriculture.
Other features of the month’s activities include;-  Visit to aquaculture farms, consultation and the code of practice for non-timber forest products, a beekeeping forum, commissioning of sales floor – Linden, Region 10, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Open Field Day for farmers, the launch of Guyana’s food strategy among others. (GINA)