THE importance of quality, safety and standards were highlighted as key components of the growing agro-processing sector in Guyana.
This was highlighted on Tuesday at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS)’s National Dialogue on National Quality Infrastructure and the Agro-Processing Industry held at the Regency Suites Hotel, Georgetown.

The forum was hosted in collaboration with the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), CARIFORUM, the European Union, Guyana Manufacturing Services Association (GMSA), the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

During the opening ceremony of the national dialogue, it was stated that the aim of the working session was to identify the challenges of the industry and to forge an action plan to provide support.
Those taking part in the national dialogue were urged to start the conversation and work together towards creating a culture of quality through standards.

Delivering remarks was the acting Executive Director of the Government Analyst Food & Drug Department (GA-FDD), Tandeka Barton who said that the GA-FDD continues to work in the best interest of manufacturers, processors and others with the aim of providing a range of accredited, analytical and inspection services.

Barton stated that, in recognition of the heavy investments in technologies and more to enhance the agro-processing sector, the GA-FDD was committed to ensuring that the necessary services were readily available to meet the specific needs of the industry.

“Rest assured that an upgrading of the current services being provided by the GA-FDD is in the works to ensure improved access to regional and international markets as well as to increase consumer confidence and assurance in product safety and quality,” Barton said.

Also highlighting the importance of food safety and quality was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Delma Nedd who stated that improving safety in Guyana requires sustained investment and stringent surveillance, among other things.

Nedd added that the government had taken on several initiatives to improve food safety and quality in Guyana thus far.
Particularly, through the Agriculture Ministry, she noted that they have established the Guyana Food Safety Authority and have been working together with the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) to improve safety and further working with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to conduct food safety assessments that will allow the relevant authorities to decide on a way forward as it relates to food safety.

She also urged those stakeholders present at the National Dialogue to bring their concerns to the table in order to find solutions and a way forward to improve safety and quality within the emerging Agro-Processing field in Guyana.