WITH Guyana and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states looking to enhance food security, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has once again reiterated calls for a united approach in building a sustainable agricultural sector.

The Guyanese Head of State in a message on the occasion of the country’s Agriculture Month, said that the agricultural sector is the foundation of food security and in Guyana specifically, it connects cultural heritage, preserving the traditions that would have sustained generations.

Both Guyana’s President and Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha hold leadership roles for food security in CARICOM.

The duo has been championing efforts to reduce the Region’s high food-import bill and will be hosting another Agri-Investment Forum and Expo later this month.

“This expo is poised to transform the landscape of the agricultural industry within our Region. It will serve as a collaborative platform for investors, visionaries and stakeholders to converge, establishing alliances that will unleash the untapped potential of the Caribbean Community’s agriculture sectors,” the President said.

He further noted that while global challenges continue to affect the Region, Guyana remains committed to implementing climate-adaptation strategies and mitigating global pressures by boosting agricultural productivity through modernisation and improved crop and livestock-management practices.

“Let us unite in our commitment to the growth and prosperity of the agriculture sector. Together we will overcome challenges, embrace opportunities and ensure that agriculture continues to flourish as bastion of our nation’s development,” President Ali said.

He reiterated Guyana’s commitment to achieving regional targets.

“Our efforts to achieve Vision 25 by 25 represents our unwavering commitment to reducing the Caribbean’s high dependence on extra-regional food imports.”

This year’s expo will be held under the theme: “Accelerating Investment in Vision 25 by 2025.”

At the launch of the forum held recently, Minister Mustapha said that this year’s agenda will see officials from both the government and private technologies intensifying the Region’s efforts to reduce its food-import bill by 25 per cent in the next two years.

At the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM held in Belize back in 2022, it was announced that Guyana would host the Region’s first agriculture Regional Agri-Investment Forum and Expo. The second was held in Trinidad & Tobago later that same year.

This year, in Guyana, the conference will be held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre from October 20-22.