APPROXIMATELY 85 per cent of local women-led enterprises will be a part of over 50 businesses participating in AgroFest 2026.
This is according to the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), which is coordinating the fifth consecutive group for participation at AgroFest.
Guyana’s participation in the annual agricultural exhibition in Barbados has remained a cornerstone in strengthening the country’s position as a regional powerhouse.
AgroFest 2026 is being held from February 27-March 01, 2026, at the Queen’s Park in Bridgetown, Barbados. Leading Guyana’s delegation at AgroFest 2026 is Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, Chief Investment Officer of the Government of Guyana and Head of Go-Invest.
Dr. Ramsaroop, during a press conference at Go-Invest on Friday, highlighted how Guyana’s continuous participation in AgroFest complements President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s 2030 development agenda to place further emphasis on export, food security, economic diversification, and deeper regional trade integration across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“AgroFest was one of those avenues that we latched on to very early on, after the President announced food security as one of his main pillars and the biggest benefit that I see of this whole event is that we’re able to take, I think this time, almost 58 companies; young companies that have a product, have an art, have a painting, have furniture to show to the wider world. And the results over the last five years have been significant,” he said.
Guyana’s participation at AgroFest has produced measurable commercial outcomes, including several businesses being able to transition from exhibitors to active suppliers within Barbadian supermarkets, hospitality chains, and distribution networks.
“The objective of the event is to expand our product line within the Caribbean,” Dr. Ramsaroop affirmed.
He further said that over the last couple of years that the private sector stepped up every time there is a major event, noting that it has invested back in Guyana.
“The confidence level in our country is significant,” Dr. Ramsaroop said.
Guyana’s presence at AgroFest 2026 will include over 50 participating businesses, two 40-foot containers of Guyanese products, a coordinated national pavilion, structured B2B meetings with distributors, retailers, and hotel buyers, and engagement through the AgroFest Biz-Link platform to secure contracts and repeat orders.
AgroFest 2026 directly advances the government’s economic priorities by expanding non-oil exports, strengthening small and medium enterprises (SMEs) competitiveness, scaling value-added agriculture and manufacturing, reducing trade barriers within CARICOM and reinforcing Guyana’s role in regional food security.
The initiative is being executed in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana Marketing Corporation, Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, and private-sector partners including Banks DIH, Blue Water Shipping, Fullworks, and Duane Trading.
Corporate Guyana is encouraged to deepen its support for export-led growth initiatives that position local producers within regional value chains.
Companies such as Demerara Distillers Limited, Precision Global, Duane Trading, and DuraVilla Homes, along with several small manufacturers in the agro-processing and handicraft industries have successfully established commercial relationships in Barbados.
Guyanese products are now supplied to vendors at Pelican Village and to hotels across the island, demonstrating sustained market penetration facilitated through Go-Invest’s export development initiatives.
