GUYANA’S agricultural future must be built on investment, modern technology and increased production, but also on the knowledge, experience and participation of the farmers who toil on the land, the farmers who rear livestock, the farmers who fish the nation’s waters and the farmers who sustain communities throughout the country.
The first Farmers’ Conference 2026 is a major step forward to ensure that these producers have a more direct say in the policies and programmes that impact their livelihoods and the country’s food security.
The conference, themed “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana,” is born out of a fundamental principle of agricultural development that those closest to the production challenges must be part of determining the solutions.
By setting up a national forum for farmers to exchange ideas, pinpoint constraints and make recommendations for a national plan of action, the Ministry of Agriculture has created an avenue to enhance collaboration between policymakers and the people who do the work that supports the sector.
Significantly, the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, admitted that the idea came from concerns raised by farmers about the lack of such a forum.
Good governance means listening and consulting. It means a willingness to convert public feedback into practical action.
Government planning alone cannot transform agriculture, it needs the active participation of farmers, co-operatives, private enterprises, researchers, technical officers and other stakeholders along the entire agricultural value chain.
The challenge now is to make the conference a permanent fixture in agricultural policymaking, rather than a one-off gathering.
Its success will ultimately be measured by the quality of recommendations adopted, the programmes implemented and the improvements experienced by farmers in their day-to-day operations.
Agriculture is more than simply food production. It creates jobs, bolsters family incomes, encourages entrepreneurship, revitalises rural economies and fortifies national economic resilience.
A strong agricultural sector also reduces reliance on shocks in global supply chains and volatile food prices.
These problems are particularly relevant to Guyana as the country embarks on a path to diversify its economy and to enhance its role as a supplier of agricultural products to the Caribbean markets.
The country has natural advantages, but it must keep investing in the infrastructure, skills, technology and market access needed to convert its agricultural potential into sustainable commercial success.
The case in point for the broader significance of this endeavour is Guyana’s role in the food-security agenda of the Caribbean Community.
The regional initiative to cut the food-import bill by 25 per cent, initially targeted for 2025, has been delayed to 2030 so that countries have time to build on progress and face ongoing challenges.
Guyana’s production of 15 priority commodities increased from about 1.41 million tonnes in 2020 to 1.81 million tonnes in 2025, an increase of 27.9 per cent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture in September 2026.
These figures illustrate how increased domestic production can contribute to meeting national needs and regional food security.
But more production must be accompanied by efficient distribution, reliable transportation, adequate storage, processing facilities and dependable markets.
Post-harvest losses, uncertain market access or production costs eating into profitability mean farmers are unable to reap the full benefits from increasing their output.
That is why the proposed national action plan needs to be comprehensive. It should address the realities of farming from land preparation and acquisition of planting materials, to access to affordable financing, pest control, equipment maintenance, produce transportation and securing competitive prices.
The conference’s focus on innovation is timely. Scientific research, mechanisation, digital services, better crop varieties and climate-smart production methods are gaining importance for modern agriculture.
Such approaches can assist farmers to increase productivity, reduce waste, improve product quality and make better use of land and other resources.
Guyana has already begun to increase the use of technologies such as drones, precision irrigation and digital applications in agricultural production and service delivery. These tools have been identified by the Ministry of Agriculture to modernise the sector and increase farmers’ access to support.
Next, these innovations need to be affordable for farmers of all sizes and income levels. As the sector modernises, small- and medium-scale producers should not be left behind. Training, extension services, and affordable equipment and accessible financing will be essential to enable them to adopt new methods and compete effectively.
Enhancing climate resilience is also important. Farmers remain vulnerable to changing rainfall patterns, flooding, drought, higher temperatures and other extreme weather events. These threats can destroy crops, disrupt planting schedules, damage infrastructure and increase production costs.
In June 2026, the National Drainage and Irrigation Strategy was launched, providing a framework for better water management and increased resilience.
The continued maintenance and upgrading of canals, drainage systems, sluices and pump stations and its implementation will continue to be vital in protecting agricultural communities and ensuring reliable production.
The national action plan should therefore focus on practical measures to reduce farmers vulnerability, including better water management, timely maintenance of infrastructure, improved forecasting, agricultural research and stronger disaster preparedness.
Guyana’s agricultural transformation must also go beyond simply increasing the volume of traditional crops.
Diversification into livestock, aquaculture, fruits, vegetables, coconuts, corn, soybean production and other suitable commodities can create more income opportunities, strengthen domestic supply and open new avenues for exports.
Agro-processing is particularly important for development. Growing a competitive agricultural industry is about more than just producing more food.
Processing raw commodities into packaged and market-ready products can create employment, add value and allow local businesses to access wider markets.
But the diversification should be driven by market demand. Farmers need reliable information about consumer preferences, standards of quality, production costs and export requirements before they can make substantial investments.
Better coordination between producers, processors, distributors, financial institutions and buyers can help to reduce uncertainty and ensure that increased production translates into viable business.
This is where the mix of established producers, emerging entrepreneurs, farming organisations and co-operatives at the conference can prove valuable.
Sharing knowledge and developing partnerships can assist farmers to spot opportunities, pool resources and develop more efficient production and marketing arrangements.
A special mention must be made of the conference’s acknowledgment of women farmers. The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, spotlighting the essential contributions of women to agricultural production, processing and trade, and focusing attention on the barriers they encounter in accessing land, finance, technology, training and decision-making.
Guyana needs to move beyond words of appreciation to recognise the contribution of women. This should be reflected in practical opportunities for training, financing, land access, technology adoption and leadership in agricultural organisations.
Women involved in farming, agribusinesses, food processing and agricultural markets need to be able to fully enjoy the benefits of the growth of the sector.
Young people also need the same forward-looking approach. Agriculture needs to be portrayed as a modern, commercially viable and rewarding career, not just an occupation associated with physically demanding labour and limited prospects.
Mechanisation, digital farming, agricultural science, entrepreneurship and agro-processing are a means to draw a new generation of producers and innovators.
More youth participation will help to pass on agricultural knowledge and bring in new ideas and technology into the sector.
The Farmers’ Conference is an opportunity to create confidence between farmers and the institutions that are supposed to support them, but consultation has an obligation: recommendations must be taken seriously, priorities laid out clearly and progress monitored.
The Ministry of Agriculture should therefore set up a transparent system for recording the recommendations of the conference, identifying which can be implemented immediately, allocating responsibility for longer-term actions and reporting regularly on progress.
Farmers need to be able to see how their inputs influence decisions and understand the reasons why some proposals cannot be taken up.
Also, continuing the dialogue is very important. Agricultural conditions vary by region and commodity, and a solution that works for one group of producers may not work for another. Regular engagement, based on technical expertise and reliable information, can ensure that national policies respond to these differences.
Government investment and policy support are vital, but so is the willingness of farmers to innovate, co-operate, adopt improved practices and seek new markets. The private sector and financial institutions also have a key role to play in mobilising capital, strengthening supply chains and expanding opportunities for agribusiness.
Ultimately, the future of Guyana’s agriculture will depend on how well these various contributions come together.
This co-operation can be improved by a platform to be created by the Farmers’ Conference, 2026. The real significance of this will be in the follow up, in better informed policies, in more resilient farms, in stronger agricultural enterprises, in more opportunities for women and young people and in a more reliable food supply for Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

Guyana has substantial agricultural potential. It takes more than fertile land and investment to make it happen. It takes a partnership where farmers are respected as producers, entrepreneurs and vital contributors to national development.

Where farmers have a genuine voice in shaping agricultural policy, the country wins more than a strong farming sector. It provides a better base for food security, rural prosperity and sustainable development of the country.