Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, on Saturday encouraged farmers on the Essequibo Coast to expand and diversify their agricultural operations, assuring them that the Government will continue to invest in programmes and initiatives designed to lower production costs, improve market access, and create greater opportunities for growth within the sector.
The Minister made the remarks during an engagement with farmers and residents at Anna Regina while in Region Two for the two-day Cabinet Outreach being led by His Excellency, President Dr. Irfaan Ali.
During the engagement, Minister Mustapha said that over the last five years, the Government has made unprecedented investments in agriculture, with billions of dollars being injected into drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market roads, extension services, and support programmes to ensure farmers are better positioned to increase production and improve their incomes.
He told farmers that the ministry remains committed to ensuring they have the necessary resources to expand cultivation and announced that planting materials will be made available free of cost to farmers across the region.
“One of the things we want to do is reduce your cost of production. We want farmers to produce more, and we are prepared to provide the support needed to make that happen. Planting materials will be made available free of cost because we want to encourage more cultivation and greater production,” Minister Mustapha said.
Minister Mustapha also encouraged farmers to take advantage of the growing market opportunities available both locally and within the Caribbean, urging them to increase production while assuring them that the Ministry, through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC), will continue working to identify markets for their produce.
He explained that expanding production must be accompanied by stronger marketing support to ensure farmers are able to sell what they produce at competitive prices.
“The Ministry is not only encouraging you to produce more; we are also working to ensure that markets are available. Through the New GMC, we are continuing to strengthen market linkages so that farmers have reliable markets for their produce. We will work with you so that you know what crops are attracting prices across the region. We will give you the inputs and provide you with the technical support and facilities to expand your production,” he said.
Minister Mustapha also urged farmers to diversify their operations, noting that relying on a single crop can expose producers to unnecessary risks when market prices fluctuate. He said integrating a variety of crops and agricultural enterprises can provide farmers with additional income streams while improving the overall resilience of their operations.
The Minister further highlighted the government’s focus on attracting young people to agriculture, noting that ensuring generational renewal within the sector is critical to its long-term sustainability. He pointed to initiatives such as the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), which equips participants with practical training, modern technologies, and entrepreneurial skills to establish successful agricultural enterprises.
He also highlighted President Ali’s Tunnel Ventilated Poultry Project, describing it as one of several transformative initiatives designed to create opportunities for young people to participate in large-scale, technology-driven agriculture. The project, he said, demonstrates the Government’s commitment to modernising the sector while creating sustainable employment and business opportunities for the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.
Minister Mustapha said agriculture continues to play a central role in Guyana’s economic transformation and food security agenda, and urged farmers to continue partnering with the Ministry to boost and expand production.
