Serving as a command centre for real time monitoring and data collection a ‘situation room’ for agriculture will soon charter a new course for food production in the Caribbean.
This is according to Guyana’s Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who recently disclosed that the Government of Guyana would soon unveil this new innovative platform to serve the entire Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“We are working to build a, a ‘situation room’, which will be a data center, not only for Guyana, but the entire region where we have real time data generated for places in any country, the Caribbean.” Mustapha, who is also the Chair for the Special Ministerial Task Force for Food Production and Food Security in CARICOM said.

CARICOM leaders have been rallying to reduce the regions massive US$ 6 billion food import bill by 25 per cent within the next year.
This ‘situation room’ is expected to drive targeted investments and help support farmers.

“We are hoping that this ‘situation room’ will help us to have data that will be accurate and which we can also help countries in the Caribbean. So this, these are tremendous development and transformation in the agriculture sector.”
“The ‘situation room’ will serve as a command center for monitoring agricultural activities across CARICOM. It will enable us to anticipate challenges, respond to crisis as they arise, and implement proactive measures to mitigate risk as we look to the future; I am filled with optimism for continued growth, for the continued great growth of Guyana’s agricultural sector,” he added.

The initiative of establishing a ‘situation room’ was first touted by Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, back in 2023.
Dr. Ali, while addressing the 2023 regional Agriculture Investment Forum and Expo held in Guyana had said in order for the Caribbean region to attain its regional food security goals, innovation and digitisation will need to be pivotal factors.
Dr. Ali, during that forum, proposed multiple initiatives to incorporate data and technology into its local food production industry.

“We have recognised that technology gives us the opportunity to connect the farmers directly with extension officers instantaneously. And part of the innovative investment that we will make here is to create a proactive information sharing and response platform.”
With the sector’s growth in mind, he highlighted the importance of undertaking meticulous data analysis to ensure targeted investments are made to adequately support farmers.
“Today, food production and agriculture [are] changing globally. It is no longer guesswork, it is precise science. It is based on analysis of data. It is based on a timely dissemination of information.”