–Guyana to become first country in CARICOM, Latin America to cultivate zinc bio-fortified rice

WITH Guyana launching its first-ever bio-fortified rice, enhanced with zinc, the country’s agriculture sector is definitely setting itself apart from the others.
Outlining the fact that Guyana is well on its way to tackling food insecurity, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, lauded the revival of the rice industry and the launch of the rice variety GRDB IICA 17.

Owing to this new achievement, he proudly remarked: “Guyana will become the first country in CARICOM and Latin America to cultivate bio-fortified rice.”
The official launch occurred at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), on Saturday during the ongoing Agri-Investment Forum and Expo.

This significant project forms part of an effective partnership between the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Fondo Latinoamericano para Arroz de Riego (FLAR) and CARICOM, among others.

Prime Minister Phillips also said: “[Rice] production in Guyana is expected to increase by 12 per cent from just under 560,000 metric tonnes in 2021 to 625,000 metric tonnes in 2023,” adding that this is a result of the massive investments being injected into the agriculture sector by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government.

By 2025, according to the Prime Minister, rice production in Guyana is projected to grow by 847,000 metric tonnes.
“The now government has made tremendous investments in improving the capability of the Guyana Rice Development Board to conduct the appropriate research to keep the industry on the competitive edge,” he further stated.

Also, he commended the sector for not only focusing on productivity and grading but now it is taking into account the health of citizens.
“Agriculture is now transitioning into [crafting] nutrient rich food crops,” the Prime Minister said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, said that the launch of the bio-fortified rice is a milestone for Guyana.

“Today is a day, for all of us in Guyana to be proud. Guyana is the only country that is launching this variety, which will become a variety for the farmers to cultivate,” he said.
Additionally, with this new variety of rice, the Agriculture Minister said this will bring relief to farmers because it will have a higher price, compared to regular rice, owing to the nutritional value that is in the zinc bio-fortified rice.

With food insecurity grasping almost every corner in the world, Mustapha said that he has high hopes for this variety, in terms of becoming high-yielding.
Even though Guyana is working on expanding its traditional areas, efforts are also being made to produce new crops, in order to cope with the global food production crisis.
“I hope we continue to develop new varieties because around the world, now, there are demands for rains and these here will attract preferential prices,” he said.

Notwithstanding the economic benefits that are emerging from this new bio-fortified rice, the Agriculture Minister said that since rice is a staple, not only in Guyana but in the Caribbean, the fact that this variety is enriched with zinc means it will also have a number of health benefits.
“We in the Caribbean have the expertise, we have the skills [to] develop, [and] we should not wait for people from other parts of the world to come to Guyana come to the Caribbean…We have the skills right here.”

Meanwhile, IICA Country Representative, Wilmot Garnett, remarked that the organisation will continue to assist financially and with their technical expertise, the work of the GRBD, bio-fortified rice, and other projects.
Speaking on the future collaboration, he said that the next step is work on aromatics.