SELWYN Robertson, one of the main driving forces behind the newly commissioned climate-controlled smart tunnel houses in Guyana that rear chickens on a large scale, is also a swine and poultry farmer.
He told Pepperpot Magazine that, as an overseas-based Guyanese, he returned to Guyana from the United States of America (USA) in 2016 to invest in business through farming.
Robertson added that in 2018 he returned to these shores—his homeland—to develop a swine farm with six pigs, and today his farm has grown significantly, housing more than 100 pigs.
While he is not physically present on the farm on a 24-hour basis, he has two permanent employees who oversee the general upkeep of the swine farm located at Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara.
Robertson disclosed that he rears swine on a large scale for both meat and breeding stock.
He resides in Campbellville Housing Scheme, Georgetown, and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the climate-controlled tunnel house at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
Robertson’s stock of pigs consists of Large White, Hampshire, Duroc, and Landrace breeds at his state-of-the-art farm.
“I was to rear chicken firstly, but I was advised to try rearing some pigs too, and it went well, so I kept on doing it and became successful at it,” he explained.
The swine farmer and businessman added that, in addition to rearing pigs, he also has ducks on a large scale.
Robertson’s input was instrumental in the successful operation of the first of nine climate-smart tunnel houses for poultry production—a transformative project aimed at modernising the local poultry industry.
The first climate-smart tunnel house for poultry production at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, opened with its first batch of vaccinated chickens in its trial period earlier this year.
Local entrepreneur Robertson reported that he is a farmer and a retired sportsman—a soccer veteran—who now rears pigs, ducks, and chickens for a living.
He disclosed that, following a meeting with His Excellency President Irfaan Ali last year, the idea of the state-of-the-art tunnel house project was born to empower retired sportsmen to contribute to the local poultry industry.
Robertson stated that seeing the project through took more than a year, but they have made it thanks to President Ali and his contributions across sectors. They managed to get it off the ground, despite a lot of behind-the-scenes work.
He explained that, before the tunnel house project, the 29 retired sportsmen were not engaged in productive activity in their spare time. Now, they are part of history, embracing modern poultry farming through technology introduced through public and private partnerships.
Robertson said President Ali ensured all land preparations were completed and that all agencies were on board to make the tunnel house project a reality.
“I was surprised because I raised 10,000 chickens, so I know what that can do. Thirty thousand to forty-three thousand birds in one go as an offering is something beyond extraordinary—President Ali’s vision for us,” he said.
On Sunday, during a training exercise, stakeholders witnessed a trial run in which 12,000 broiler chicks were introduced to the Mon Repos facility.
Robertson, an investor, told Pepperpot Magazine that by mid-year, the other eight tunnel houses should be completed and fully operational, each accommodating 33,000 chickens.
He pointed out that each tunnel house is equipped with automatic water systems and feeders, and that they will be rearing broilers for the local market.
Robertson added that, collectively, the 29 sportsmen will take turns and maintain a presence at the facility 24 hours a day to ensure its smooth operation.
“This is a dream come true for us. We are very happy to see this project materialise, and we are very grateful for the input of the government, especially President Ali, who made personal contributions,” he said.
Tunnel House Project
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.
The advanced structures will help to increase production efficiency, improve biosecurity, and reduce poultry mortality rates.
By the end of the first quarter of 2026, all eight tunnel houses should be fully operational, 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 entrepreneurs, who will collectively contribute $10 million, while an additional $40 million was provided through bank financing at preferential interest rates as low as 4.5 per cent.
The tunnel house project targets young entrepreneurs from multiple regions and 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, during the initial walkthrough of the facility at the construction stage, had 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.
