INDIA’S High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Venkatachalam Mahalingam, yesterday paid a courtesy call on Agriculture Minister  Noel Holder at his Regent Street and Vlissengen Road Office. The meeting saw them recommitting to the continuation of the two countries’ historical friendship and the enhancement of various areas of cooperation. According to Mr. Mahalingam, efforts are moving apace to further strengthen economic, social, cultural and other types of relations between Guyana and India. As such, India has committed to assisting Guyana with technical and financial support to further boost the agriculture sector.
Agro-processing, sugar, boosting the research capabilities of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), hybrid coconut varieties and sericulture production are among areas to receive support.
“The spice industry is quite large in India….Guyana’s soil is perfect for the production of cashew orchids and this is another area Guyana and India can collaborate on. Our experts are willing to come immediately to assist Guyana in developing such an industry,” the High Commissioner said.
An Indian scientist has been working with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) for the past year, assisting the Board at the research level to draft the National Rice Seed policy and the Research Policy.  The scientist was formerly attached to NAREI where assistance was given in the area of research policy.
Scholarships is another area where India has been assisting Guyana significantly, and several professionals will be leaving Guyana shortly on full scholarships at the Ph.D level. Guyana has also benefited immensely from the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme in areas such as education, provision of equipment, transmission and broadcasting, legal, disaster management, coconut, spices and institutional development.
With respect to sugar, the Indian Government has committed to assisting Guyana in this area through technical and financial support. India will also fund the new East Bank Demerara-East Coast Demerara bypass road, for which $50M has been allocated, as well as an additional passenger ferry (US$8M) to Guyana’s current fleet.
Further cooperation between the two countries in the examination of the production of energy and electricity through bio-mass of agriculture waste is also planned, and will be discussed further at another level.