Dear editor,

PLEASE permit me a space in your letter column to share my views on the agricultural sector in Guyana as we are celebrating this year’s Agriculture Month under the theme, “Accelerating Vision 25 by 2025: Investing in Agri-Business and Food Security.”

Over the past three years of the People’s Progressive Party government led by His Excellency Dr. Ifraan Ali, we have seen much importance being placed on the agricultural sector in ensuring that it remains top of the agenda.

The agriculture ministry for me and I believe all will agree with me that it is the most important ministry in government because we all need food to survive and this ministry is tasked with ensuring that we have food on our tables daily.

But having a ministry with a visionless leader would fail and we saw that during the previous government. Today we can say that the President Ali-led PPP/C government has put a man who knows about agriculture because he came from that background. He has a vision to ensure that the agricultural sector in Guyana strive towards being top of the CARICOM when it comes to food security.

Over the past years of this administration and since the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, MP, took up the mantle of heading the agriculture ministry, we saw vast development in the sector and I mean all aspects of the agricultural sector in Guyana.

The government is spending billions of dollars yearly to develop this sector in every way possible and the private sector has also been actively involved since 2020.

Investing in the many D&I projects is helping our farmers to have better drainage systems for their crops, especially during this prolonged dry-weather season.

We are seeing the effects that climate change is having and because of the government investments in this sector, farmers are able to cope with the prolonged dry weather and we all know that water is very important for this sector.

We saw the major investments being done in the cash-crop industry, which was a dying industry prior to 2020, and the many opportunities being given to our farmers within the villages as to get back to their lands to do farming and they are proudly doing so. We saw the introduction of shade houses, etc.

Not only is the government investing monies into this sector, but also technical assistance and training from NAREI is being given to farmers countrywide.
We are seeing a positive rise in the cattle and poultry industries through the introduction of new breeds of cattle to the farmers and the giving of needed guidance. We saw the introduction of the black belly sheep project, etc. The poultry industry is on the rise on a daily basis with the private sector taking up the many opportunities in getting into the industry. We’re seeing this through the introduction of the black giant chicken project in the hinterland, etc.

The Guyana Livestock and Development Authority (GLDA) is giving lots of guidance and farmers are benefitting from educational programmes.

We saw VAT being put under the previous government on machinery and agricultural products such as fertilizers; it was hardship for farmers.

Today, that VAT has been removed and farmers are investing more and more. Many went back to their lands and are seeking more lands to plant rice because that burden was removed. They are having better drainage and irrigation systems for their crops.

This brings me to mention the many farm-to-market roads that are being built across the country which are ensuring that produce reach consumers in a timely manner and that farmers have easier access to their farmlands.

We are seeing major investments and improvements in the fishing industry and the introduction of ponds for brackish-water shrimp projects in some of the regions. That project is seeing an increase of production.

I cannot forget to mention the many developments taking place also in the hinterland regions of our country. We are seeing soya bean projects, rice-planting, massive poultry rearing and cash-crop farming, among others.

Thousands of acres of lands are being cleared for agricultural purposes and my brothers and sisters in the hinterland are taking full advantage of the many opportunities in the agricultural sector.

I must mention also that recently we saw the reopening of the Rose Hall Sugar Estate and as it grinds the sugar canes to produce sugar, hundreds of jobs will be created for our people. It will ease the economic impact that those areas use to suffer from.

Editor, there are so many positives happening in the agricultural sector under the strong and visionary leadership of Minister Mustapha, MP. I can go on but space might be limited if I do.

With that said, as a Guyanese, I can proudly say that under this People’s Progressive Party government led by President Irfaan Ali and with the strong and visionary leadership of the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, MP, Guyana will become food secure by 2025. The agriculture industry is moving forward at a rapid pace.

Regards.
Abel Seetaram