It should come as no surprise that Guyana has been chosen

as the venue for hosting this year’s “Caribbean Week of Agriculture” (CAW), scheduled to be held in Georgetown from October 4- 12.
After all, apart from some striking similarities in the agricultural sector it shares with Belize, Guyana has long been hailed as the potential “Food basket  of the Caribbean”.
Consistent with that recognition Guyana is the CARICOM member state whose Head of Government has been allocated lead responsibility for regional agricultural development.
Currently, while producing much of what Guyanese generally consume, it is increasingly becoming involved in partnership arrangements for agricultural diversification with member states of CARICOM, for food production and marketing,
The most significant examples involve major private sector entrepreneurs  of Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, developments that  would undoubtedly be highlighted, along with the vey enterprising ventures of local entrepreneurs and corporate entities during the coming CAW event.
The CAW initiative, now to be staged for its 12th edition across member states, is undoubtedly one of the quite positive initiatives being promoted by CARICOM in cooperation with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (ICCA) which is credited for having originally conceptualised the idea for such a sustained project.
As announced by the CARICOM Secretariat, the central theme for CAW 2013 is “Linking the Caribbean for Regional Food  and Nutrition Security and Rural Development”, and special emphasis will be placed on two sectors now increasingly attracting attention of member governments–fisheries and forestry.
Preparations for the forthcoming CAW are being led by broad-based steering committee that include the  Guyana  Government; CARICOM Secretariat and a range of international and regional institutions and agencies.
The CARICOM Secretariat has explained that the organizers of CAW 2013  are working towards a dynamic  event that incorporates workshop sessions and other fora  on agriculture “in all its dimensions…”