calls for implementation of better technology, infrastructure and more investments

WITH the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) forging ahead to tackle food insecurity and reducing its food import bill, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, called for more robust external engagements, investments, better infrastructure and technologies to be implemented.

The Vice President made these remarks on Friday at the opening of the Agri Investment Forum and Expo, which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
Speaking on how the Low Carbon Development Strategy’s (LCDS 2030) can aid agriculture development, he stated: “We have to still be frank and we have to be open and we have to admit where our deficiencies are if we want to really achieve the outcomes that we desire.”
As the exploration for a more sustainable regional agricultural industry continues, the Vice President expounded that this journey started over a decade ago and it was rooted in departing from a “peasant type” agriculture.

“If we want to achieve a sustainable agricultural industry that’s integrated with the other sectors of our economy, then we need to do have this robust external engagement and do some of the things that I mentioned that we know what we should do but we haven’t done before,” Dr. Jagdeo asserted while adding that the way in which agriculture is being perceived needs to change.

He then asserted the necessity of a consistent policy environment to cultivate growth and emphasised the need for increased focus on budgetary allocations for the agricultural sector.
Given the lack of enabling environments and investments, Dr. Jagdeo posed the question: “How are we going to achieve a 25 per cent cut by 2025 if we don’t invest? And it requires money to achieve that … the goals are important but they have to be supported by the policy environment and investments both by the public and private sectors to achieve.”
Highlighting the meager budgetary allocations in the region, he said: “If you track the budgetary allocation from most of the Caribbean countries, you will see an embarrassingly small sum of the budget dedicated to agriculture.”

While going more in depth on the need for better fiscal incentives, he related: “We have to have a sustained policy environment or we have to address this matter in a sustained way and that requires political capital to be expended. It requires an understanding and a commitment on the part of each country, to do the things that are necessary to allow the growth of a viable agriculture sector.”

The often neglected factor, which is, infrastructure, was also brought to light by Dr. Jagdeo.
He said: “For agriculture to prosper, you need drainage and irrigation. You need to tackle questions of the availability of water,” adding, “Investment in ensuring that the infrastructure, farm-to-market roads, drainage and irrigation systems or advanced technology in water conservation are important.”
With technology being a challenge for Guyana, the Vice President was proud to announce that his government is investing in tissue culture laboratory, which will better the agricultural sector.

Furthermore, Dr. Jagdeo touched on some of Guyana’s ventures into a number of industries such as honey and sausage production.

He related: “We’re also exploring various other industries, such as sausage production, honey, aquaculture, and more. These specific initiatives often require government and policy involvement.”