• Minister Mustapha inspects construction of climate-smart tunnel houses for poultry production at Mon Repos

AGRICULTURE Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Tuesday, led a team to the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) at Mon Repos, where construction is underway on several tunnel houses for poultry production, a transformative project aimed at modernising the local poultry industry.

The initiative, first announced by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali during an engagement with young people at La Jalousie, Essequibo Islands–West Demerara, is designed to revolutionise poultry farming through the use of climate-smart tunnel houses.

These advanced structures will help to increase production efficiency, improve biosecurity, and reduce poultry mortality rates.

Speaking with beneficiaries at the site, Minister Mustapha confirmed that all necessary equipment for the tunnel houses has arrived in Guyana, and that the project remains on track.

“By the end of the first quarter of 2026, all eight tunnel houses should be fully operational,” Minister Mustapha said, noting that the project represents a major step in modernising Guyana’s poultry sector.

As part of the initiative, the Ministry of Agriculture has allocated five acres of land for the establishment of a state-of-the-art poultry farm at Mon Repos. Once completed, the $50 million facility will have the capacity to produce up to 45,000 chickens per batch, serving as a model for modern, sustainable poultry farming in Guyana.

The project will be co-funded by participating youths, who will contribute $10 million collectively, while an additional $40 million will be provided through bank financing at preferential interest rates as low as 4.5 percent.

Targeting young entrepreneurs from multiple regions, the initiative forms part of the government’s broader strategy to promote youth involvement in agribusiness, enhance food security, and integrate technology-driven solutions into the agriculture sector.

Minister Mustapha emphasised that the approach not only supports youth empowerment and job creation, but also strengthens Guyana’s capacity to achieve sustainable agricultural growth.

“Our goal is to ensure young people see agriculture as a profitable and innovative career,” he added. “These tunnel houses are just one example of how we are integrating modern technology to improve productivity and ensure resilience in the sector.”

The climate-smart poultry project stands as a symbol of the PPP/C Government’s commitment to transforming agriculture, diversifying production, and building a new generation of agripreneurs equipped with the tools and knowledge to lead Guyana’s food production future.