THE Guyana Livestock Authority, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, has initiated two projects with financial support from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB):- the Enhancement of Surveillance Programmes for Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis in Guyana, and the Establishment of a Traceability System for Pineapples and Leafy Greens in Guyana.

During Tuesday’s launch, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, informed officials that Guyana’s agriculture sector is currently experiencing a swift transformation.
Minister Mustapha revealed that a substantial amount of $72.6 billion was allocated to the Agriculture sector in 2024, with the aim of fostering the development of agriculture at both local and regional levels.

The minister highlighted the fact that Guyana is currently in a phase of immense excitement as the entire agriculture sector undergoes a transformative process.

The Minister elaborated on the strategy for advancing the CARICOM agriculture food system agenda, which entails fostering strategic partnerships and regional collaboration among government, international partners, and the private sector. This aligns with the objective of reducing the food import bill by 25% by 2025.

“We are pleased to undertake these two projects, which will enhance our agricultural capacity, with the support from the Caribbean Development Bank and facilitated by the European Union Economic Partnership Agreement, CARIFORUM, and the CARICOM Standby Facility.

The first project, the Development of a Food Products Traceability System for Pineapples and Leafy Greens in Guyana, is a transformative initiative that underscores our commitment to ensuring quality and safe food. A traceability system in the agriculture and food sector is particularly important and an effective one can promptly identify, single out, and remove unsafe food products from the market.

Food traceability is a requirement for access to specific regional or international markets. For Guyana to become a major exporter of agriculture products we are ensuring that systems are in place for us to meet all the requirements,” the minister explained.
While speaking about the second project, Minister Mustapha said that this project will address critical issues impacting Guyana’s livestock industry.

“The second project, Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis to Improve Market Access in Guyana, will address critical issues impacting our livestock industry. These diseases not only pose significant health risks to our cattle population but also hinder market access for our farmers. By addressing these challenges head-on, we are not just protecting the livelihoods of our farmers but also fortifying Guyana’s position as a reliable supplier of high-quality livestock products,” Minister Mustapha added.

EPA and CSME Standby Facility’s Project Manager, Cyril Gill, while giving an overview of the projects, said the projects were based on developing a strategy towards eradicating tuberculosis and brucellosis in bovine as well as establishing a food traceability framework.

In its pursuit to become the livestock capital of the Region, Guyana emphasises the importance of implementing systems to protect against diseases like bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis, according to Director General at the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj.

He stated, “the surveillance system is important to expand market access for cattle, because it helps to ensure the cattle from Guyana are healthy and clean from diseases that may pose a risk to human development.”

Additionally, he emphasised that food security in Guyana has been given considerable importance due to the focus on food and nutrition. The implementation of the Food Products Traceability System for Pineapples and Leafy Greens in Guyana will enable the prompt removal of unsafe food from the market.

Ramraj pointed out that the government, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, is steadfastly committed to the sustainable transformation of our agriculture sector.

His comment highlighted that Guyana possesses the potential to serve as the main agricultural producer for CARICOM and beyond. It has been reported that the agriculture sector witnessed a 7 per cent expansion in 2023 and is projected to grow by 10.4 per cent in the current year.

“The growth of the livestock industry by 12.7 per cent, and the crop industry by 4.4 per cent, is a testament to the projects and initiatives that are being implemented with the support of our international partners and agencies, like the Caribbean Development Bank, that is playing an integral role in the execution of these projects being launched today,” he said.