– new digital platform to enhance mangrove monitoring, restoration and climate resilience
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, on Wednesday, underscored the critical role of mangrove conservation in safeguarding Guyana’s coastline, protecting agricultural livelihoods and strengthening national climate resilience, as he delivered the feature address at the launch of the improved Guyana Mangrove Information System (GuyMIS).
The launch, held at the Mangrove Centre within the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) Compound at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, marked another important step in the Government’s efforts to modernise environmental monitoring and strengthen the use of technology and scientific data in managing the country’s natural resources.
Developed with support from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the improved GuyMIS platform brings together critical information on mangrove ecosystems, providing researchers, technical officers, policymakers and other stakeholders with a centralised resource to monitor coastal changes, assess restoration activities and make informed decisions on mangrove management and conservation.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Mustapha emphasised that mangroves are among Guyana’s most valuable natural assets, providing essential protection against coastal erosion, flooding and the increasing threats associated with climate change.
“Mangroves are among the most remarkable natural assets our country possesses. They perform an extraordinary service to the nation. They help reduce wave energy, trap sediment, stabilise vulnerable sections of the coast, support biodiversity, and strengthen our resilience against the growing threats of climate change. They protect homes, livelihoods, drainage infrastructure, agricultural lands, and entire communities,” the Minister stated.
He explained that given Guyana’s extensive low-lying coastal agricultural lands, protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems is essential to safeguarding food production, supporting coastal communities and preserving critical infrastructure.
“For the Ministry of Agriculture, mangrove restoration is therefore not simply an environmental activity. It is an investment in food security and economic resilience. It is an investment in farmers who depend on protected agricultural lands, in fisherfolk who rely on healthy ecosystems and in future generations whose prosperity will depend on the actions we take today,” Minister Mustapha said.
The Minister noted that the introduction of the improved information system represents a significant advancement in how Guyana collects, manages and utilises environmental data to guide coastal protection and restoration efforts.
He explained that the platform integrates information obtained through satellite imagery, drone surveys, scientific monitoring and field observations into a single accessible system, allowing stakeholders to better understand changing coastal conditions and evaluate the effectiveness of mangrove restoration programmes.
“The new Mangrove Information System platform brings together information from satellite imagery, drone surveys, scientific monitoring, and field observations into a single accessible system. It provides researchers, technical officers, policymakers, students, and community stakeholders with a powerful tool to understand changing coastal conditions, evaluate restoration efforts, and support evidence-based decision-making,” he stated.
Minister Mustapha further disclosed that the Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to launch a new Situation Room in the coming weeks, representing another major advancement in the Government’s drive towards digital transformation and data-driven management of the agriculture sector.
He explained that the facility will function as a centralised decision-support platform, integrating critical information from agricultural production, weather monitoring, drainage and irrigation systems, fisheries management and the performance of various agricultural programmes.
“This commitment to digital transformation will soon reach another important milestone. In the coming weeks, the Ministry of Agriculture will launch its new Situation Room, a centralised decision-support platform that will integrate critical information from across the sector, including agricultural production, weather monitoring, drainage and irrigation systems, fisheries management and programme performance,” the Minister announced.
Minister Mustapha also revealed that the Guyana Mangrove Information System will be directly integrated into the Situation Room, allowing information on coastal conditions and restoration activities to contribute to a broader national agricultural monitoring and decision-making framework.
Through this integration, he explained, decision-makers will be better equipped to track restoration sites, identify vulnerable coastal areas, assess environmental risks and coordinate responses to threats affecting agricultural lands and coastal communities.
Meanwhile, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Country Representative for the Eastern Caribbean and Guyana, Mr. Daniel Smith, welcomed the launch of the improved platform, noting that it addresses a longstanding challenge relating to the accessibility and coordination of mangrove-related information.
“Guyana has never been short of mangrove data. The challenge has been bringing that information together and making it easily accessible. GMIS 2.0 now provides a national home for mangrove change analysis, restoration and monitoring records, research, reports, photographs and videos. Coordination will determine the system’s success. Agencies supporting forestry, sea defence, land and surveys, hydrometeorology, local authorities and universities each hold part of the picture. Each agency that contributes data strengthens the analysis available to all others,” Mr. Smith stated.
He further noted that access to reliable and comprehensive information will be particularly important in ensuring that limited resources are directed towards areas where coastal protection and mangrove restoration interventions are most urgently required.
The improved Guyana Mangrove Information System is expected to strengthen coordination among relevant agencies, enhance the monitoring of mangrove ecosystems and provide a more comprehensive understanding of changes occurring along Guyana’s coastline.
