GUYANA and China are continuing their efforts to develop the agricultural sector with discussions on potential areas of co-operation in the rice and fisheries sectors.

On Monday, the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, held a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency Guo Haiyan, and other officials from the ministry and the Guyana Rice Development Board to discuss potential areas of co-operation.

This meeting follows previous talks between the two countries aimed at increasing bilateral co-operation in agriculture and fishing.

China has been providing technical assistance to Guyana for the development of the Cage Culture Project, which aims to boost the country’s inland fishing operations.

Minister Mustapha said that they have discussed the rice sector in terms of improving and introducing new varieties, including the salt variety that China has mastered, which could be grown on Guyana’s swamped land.

He also mentioned that there is continuous discussion in the fisheries sector, where China will provide training and cages for the development of the Cage Culture Project.
One of the main objectives of the agricultural sector is to work with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to reduce the food import bill by 25 percent.

Minister Mustapha stated that Guyana aims to be, by 2025, self-sufficient in corn and soya, which currently amount to approximately 60 million US dollars in imports annually.
The government is also looking to develop the cattle industry and has begun the embryonic transplant process of over 300 cattle.

Minister Mustapha is optimistic that these developments will help young farmers and young people to get involved in the agriculture sector.

He hopes to introduce the Cage Culture Project to indigenous communities in six months so they can provide an income for themselves. Additionally, the ministry has ramped up its artificial insemination programme in the aquaculture sector, which will be a big boost for Guyana since the experimental stage has begun.

Minister Mustapha also said that “the black water shrimp is a success story, and we were able to move production from 10,000 kilograms a year ago to last month where it is at 90,000 kilograms. We are hoping to achieve 120,000 kilograms monthly so that we can increase production by 1.2 million kilograms annually.”