The issue of food security will always be a major global concern in the face of a growing world population. There are seven billion people on Earth and in many regions food supplies are tight.  There will be 8 billion about 2035 and 9 billion by 2050 and how will they be fed, easily or with difficulty is a big question.
The supply of food may not be the only issue that will answer that question.  Other issues, including food policy, waste, and trade barriers may also be significant determinants about whether the world’s population will be fed well or barely fed.  What we can do about some of those issues and  the plans we make to address them are of critical importance
World population is increasing, but the rate has slowed, thanks to some national policies and other disincentives for larger families.  Nevertheless, there will be more mouths to feed and food will be needed, says Iowa State University economist Don Hofstrand, whose recent observations on population growth are rooted in the predictions of the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization that the demand for food will likely be met.  Other organisations suggest some challenges along the way and that today’s food demand will double.  Hofstrand says there will be several dynamics working.
Economic conditions will drive many of the problems, along with the need for greater research in production efficiency and food preservation.
How does our country fare in the present scenario? Being an agriculturally based country, blessed with an abundant supply of fresh water and land, we have the potential to become a major global food supplier. In fact, in the early 1960s we were dubbed the breadbasket of the Caribbean because of the visionary and sound agricultural policies and programmes of the then government.
Unfortunately, a change of government in 1964 reversed the situation and we moved from being a breadbasket to one of a basket case.
However, since 1992 we began reclaiming our status as the breadbasket of the Caribbean and have moved from being a net importer of food to a net exporter.
Recently, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy disclosed some encouraging information and statistics on the agriculture sector.
“Guyana’s food-production capacity has grown significantly over the past years. Rice exports have increased from about 50,000 tonnes in 1990 with export earnings of about US $17M to a production of 401,000 tonnes and export earnings of nearly US $170M in 2011; and  exports of cash crops have more than tripled, reaching over 11,000 tonnes last year,” the minister disclosed.
It is not that we do not have several difficulties to overcome in the sector, but the above information and statistics irrefutably demonstrate that our agricultural production has been progressing rather than retrogressing.
One of the areas in the agriculture sector which we need to place greater emphasis on is food processing and creating value-added products. However, a canning industry is essential to food processing and value- added products. Unfortunately, we do not have a canning industry and all stakeholders should work assiduously to encourage and facilitate investments in this direction, as it will certainly help to create greater and more secure markets for our farmers’ produce and further boost our export capacity in agricultural products.