Plans moving apace for inaugural Agriculture Investment Forum
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

-partnerships between local farmers and investors anticipated

WITH a committee already formed, plans are moving apace for the hosting of the first Agriculture Investment Forum in Guyana, according to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.

Minister Mustapha, who is heading the committee, in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, disclosed that several arrangements have already been put in place for the forum which is slated to be held from May 19 to May 21.

“We have completed a planning meeting; I am chairing the committee and I think we are well on our way to getting that programme off. There are a number of arrangements in place already,” he said.

“The process is moving apace and I’m very optimistic that we will be having a large and successful investment forum in Guyana,” Minister Mustapha added.

He said that the committee is now looking for sponsorship from local stakeholders and those in the Caribbean region and other parts of the world.

“We are now looking at sponsorship. We are having people from the Caribbean; we have sent out letters to various interested stakeholders in the Caribbean and other parts of the world. So, I’m hoping that this investment forum, will be a forum that will propel Guyana in terms of people coming to invest in Guyana and other parts of the Caribbean,” he said.

On another note, the minister stated that the investment forum will be a benefit for both farmers, agriculture stakeholders and investors.

“This will be very good for farmers because what we are doing will see investors partnering with local farmers to ensure that they build capacity in terms of finance, so that they can increase their farming input and increase production,” he said.

He added that the forum will also give local famers a chance to become investors themselves.

“At the same time, it will help farmers so they can become investors themselves. They have the assets already; they just need the financing. This investment forum will help to catapult that investment.”

Plans for hosting the investment forum was announced by the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, during a media briefing at the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Belize earlier this month.

At the conference, PM Mottley stated that it was a necessary prerequisite to promote investments in the agriculture sector.

The forum is also a part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s decisive steps to reduce its US$5 billion food import bill by 25 per cent in the next five years (25 by 25).

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