HGP NIGHTLY NEWS – President Irfaan Ali says Guyana’s agricultural expansion can no longer be viewed solely as a domestic undertaking, arguing that the country now has a regional responsibility to help meet the Caribbean’s food needs and reduce its dependence on imports.
The President, in remarks marking Agriculture Month 2026, said Guyana’s availability of land, water, natural resources and agricultural expertise places the country in a position to significantly increase its contribution to regional food security.
“Guyana’s agricultural transformation is not only a national undertaking. It is a regional responsibility and a regional opportunity,” Ali said.
He pointed to Guyana’s continued involvement in CARICOM’s 25 by 2030 food-security initiative, which seeks to increase regional production and reduce the Caribbean’s food import bill.
But Ali said meeting those objectives will require further changes to the way food is produced, processed and moved to markets. Plans include the development of agro-processing hubs and stronger connections between farms, logistics networks and markets as part of efforts to modernise Guyana’s agri-food system.
The President also identified technology, science and data as areas expected to play a greater role in improving the efficiency and profitability of agricultural production.
He said innovation must remain central to the sector’s transformation as Guyana seeks to increase output and strengthen its position within regional food supply chains.
Ali also called for greater partnerships and consortiums involving the private sector, young people and women to take advantage of new opportunities emerging within agriculture.
According to the President, achieving the wider food-security objectives will require continued investment and participation from farmers, fishers, processors, agro-processors, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders throughout the sector.
Agriculture Month 2026 is being observed under the theme, “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong Sustainable Guyana.”
