WATER MANAGEMENT, REDUCING POST-HARVEST LOSS HIGH ON GUYANA’S AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA – MUSTAPHA

By| Marvin Cato| HGP Nightly News|

BRASÍLIA, BRAZIL — Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha delivered a comprehensive vision for Guyana’s agricultural future at the 39th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC 39). Speaking at a ministerial roundtable on Policy Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture and Forest Management, Mustapha emphasized that for Guyana, food security and environmental preservation are two sides of the same coin.

The Low Coastal Plain: A Unique Infrastructure Challenge

Minister Mustapha reminded regional delegates that Guyana’s primary agricultural lands sit on a low coastal plain, much of it below sea level. This geography makes water management the “lifeblood” of the sector.

• Drainage & Irrigation (D&I): The Minister highlighted that operational D&I systems are the only defense against the increasingly erratic weather patterns brought by climate change.
• Climate Resilience: Recent major investments in rehabilitating canals, kokers, and pump stations allow farmers to survive both extreme rainfall (flooding) and unpredictable dry spells.
• Modern Tech: The government is expanding the use of shade houses, hydroponics, and tunnel-ventilated poultry facilities to give farmers greater control over temperature and pests.

Reducing Post-Harvest Losses

A centerpiece of Mustapha’s address was the push to reduce waste after the crop is harvested—an area he noted is often overlooked in climate resilience discussions.

“We are investing in drying floors, improved milling facilities, and climate-controlled storage and silos so that farmers can protect their crops from spoilage and maintain quality.” — Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

By upgrading these facilities, the Ministry aims to ensure that a higher percentage of what is grown actually reaches the market, thereby increasing farmer income without needing to clear more land.

Forests as Economic Assets: The $750 Million Carbon Credit Model

Mustapha, serving as the outgoing Chair of the conference, showcased Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 as a global blueprint for sustainable development.

• Carbon Credits: Guyana has successfully earned over US$750 million through the sale of forest carbon credits via the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART).
• Indigenous Inclusion: A key policy requirement ensures that 15% of these revenues are directly managed by Indigenous and hinterland communities for eco-tourism and village enterprises.
• Land-Use Management: The Minister reaffirmed that agricultural expansion is being directed toward savannah areas and designated lands rather than forested landscapes, allowing Guyana to maintain one of the world’s lowest deforestation rates.

Summary of Agricultural Priorities (2026–2027)

The Minister concluded by stressing that “productivity matters”—when farmers produce more on existing lands, the pressure on the nation’s pristine forests disappears.