THE Agriculture Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), will formulate a joint technical working group to coordinate efforts of the private and public sectors to improve efficiency in key agencies.
This is according to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who was at the time speaking at a GMSA webinar on Wednesday.
The targeted agencies include the Agriculture Ministry, the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), the Food Safety Authority, the Food and Drug Department, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, GRA and GO-INVEST.

“I am giving you my commitment and the commitment of the government to achieve this sectoral change. We have begun radical shifts in policies, especially investments, as was announced in the budgetary measures in Budget 2020,” Minister Zulfikar said.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the minister said it is an opportune time to be involved in agri-business. This sector, he said is too important to Guyana for it to be left behind.

“Agriculture has always been an important contributor to our economic growth and social development. It contributes 20 per cent to the national GDP, approximately G$70 Billion to the foreign earnings, and employs 17 per cent of our population,” the minister said, adding: “We must continue to engage and keep the dialogue going on how we can work together to build and sustain a prosperous agriculture sector.”

Meanwhile, during his budget presentation, Minister Mustapha reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reverse damage done and resuscitate the agriculture sector which was poorly managed by the APNU+AFC administration during its tenure in office.
Government is also looking to pursue agro-processing in a bid to reduce food loss and increase farmers’ income.

Efforts will also be made to maintain and sustain national food security and safety in the context of improving the quality of the livestock products and reducing domestic market prices to meet the need for the most vulnerable.