SIGNIFICANT achievements were made through the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that its mandate was attained, particularly as it related to improving services offered to farmers to support further agricultural development.
The non-traditional crops sector recorded increased exports and introduced several new crops to the overseas markets, especially in North America.

Another notable activity in this area was the start of construction packaging and storage facilities to boost the non-traditional crops sector, to increase exports and promote more value-added products.
Efforts to encourage advanced agricultural diversification continued with various initiatives, some of which were guided by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Diversification set up following the Agricultural Diversification Summit hosted in December 2006.
Approval of the US$21M Agricultural Diversification Initiative and the US$6M Rural Enterprise Agricultural Development (READ) Project is another major success for the Ministry since these projects have added to ongoing diversification activities.
Services offered by the Ministry were reviewed and various adjustments made to ensure more opportunities for agricultural stakeholders and to promote a more business-like approach to support further profitability of their activities.
The extension services programme was revamped with new initiatives that included training of farmers/residents as extension agents, development of a Farmers’ Manual as a form of technical assistance, and establishment of several information technology (IT) centres.
A marketing centre was established at the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to assist farmers, exporters, processors and others with pertinent information.
In an effort to ensure the safe use of pesticides and toxic chemicals, amendments to the existing Act were pursued while construction of the laboratory at Mon Repos was completed and is awaiting installation of equipment.
Among the main achievements in this sector were completion of the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) that outlines strategies to develop the various sub-sectors and re-activation of the Fisheries Advisory Committee (FAC) that advises on the sector’s continued growth.
Additionally, new initiatives were pursued to tackle piracy, including strong collaboration with fishermen’s cooperative societies and law enforcement agencies. Two boats and engines were purchased by the Ministry to assist with patrols while, through the intervention of President Bharrat Jagdeo, $5M was made available to initiate an Anti-Piracy Revolving Fund.
These interventions do not include the multiplicity of D & I works that are an ongoing feature of the Agriculture Ministry and its various arms, especially the NDIA.
As Government continues to expand the sector, farmers countrywide are taking advantage of the enhanced opportunities, especially the expanded lands being made available for agriculture, with the result that, undeterred by the challenges and constraints, the sector is now poised to ride the wave of the future and fulfill its promise of making Guyana the food basket of the Caribbean.