Guyana poised to anchor Caribbean’s food security through innovation
Guyana is accelerating the transformation of its agriculture sector into a modern, technology-driven food industry, with President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali positioning innovation, investment and value-added production at the centre of the country’s drive to strengthen food security at home and across the Caribbean.
In his message for Agriculture Month 2026, being observed under the theme “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana,” President Ali said the country’s agricultural ambitions extend beyond increasing domestic production to establishing Guyana as a major regional food hub.
“If we are to nourish tomorrow, we must innovate today,” President Ali said, stressing the need to modernise the way food is produced, processed, preserved, transported and marketed.
He said the transformation is already taking shape through investments in precision farming, improved genetics, digital extension services, hydroponics, protected agriculture, modern poultry systems and agro-processing, alongside stronger linkages between production, logistics and markets.
The scale of public investment reflects the strategic importance being placed on the sector.
President Ali noted that the national agricultural budget has risen by 515 per cent, from $18.4 billion in 2020 to $113.2 billion in 2026, supporting major interventions in drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market roads, storage and logistics, livestock, aquaculture, research and extension services.
The investment also includes large-scale corn and soya bean production in the Intermediate Savannahs, aimed at expanding Guyana’s productive capacity and strengthening the foundations of a more integrated food economy.
“Our task is to transform the sector into an industry capable of meeting the demands and opportunities of the future,” President Ali said.
He said this transformation must be underpinned by technology, science and enterprise, pointing to artificial intelligence, precision agriculture, improved genetics and data-driven production systems as tools that can improve efficiency, productivity and profitability.
The president also stressed the importance of creating greater opportunities for young people, women and private-sector investors, noting that Government is promoting partnerships and consortiums that can bring producers together at the scale required to unlock greater economic returns.
At the regional level, Guyana’s agricultural expansion is being positioned as part of the Caribbean’s broader food security agenda.
President Ali said Guyana remains committed to advancing food and nutrition security within CARICOM through the 25 by 2030 initiative, while increasing production, strengthening supply chains, reducing excessive dependence on imports and deepening regional cooperation.
“Agriculture is therefore no longer simply about feeding ourselves. It is about helping to secure the future of the Caribbean,” he said.
Guyana’s land, water and natural resources, combined with investments in production, infrastructure, processing, technology and logistics, place the country in a position to expand its role in supplying regional markets.
However, the president said achieving this objective will require sustained participation from the people at the centre of the sector, particularly farmers, fishers, agro-processors, entrepreneurs and investors.
He said the continued development of innovation, infrastructure and institutions will be essential to creating a more productive, sustainable and competitive agri-food sector.
Agriculture Month 2026 therefore comes as Guyana seeks to move from producing more food to building a stronger food economy, with innovation serving as the bridge between increased production, greater food security and wider prosperity.
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