As part of a Cabinet outreach led by His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali, Minister of Agriculture Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, along with a team from the Ministry of Agriculture, today met with residents of Jawalla Village in the Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven, to discuss issues affecting the community and identify opportunities for economic and agricultural development.
During the engagement, residents raised several concerns and proposals aimed at improving livelihoods and expanding agricultural production in the area. In response, Minister Mustapha outlined several interventions that will be implemented in the short, medium, and long term by the Ministry of Agriculture to support the community.
The Minister disclosed that officials from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will return to the village within one week to conduct a comprehensive assessment and work with residents to develop a plan for large-scale food production. He said the government wants to move beyond subsistence farming and create sustainable agricultural enterprises in rural communities that can generate income and improve livelihoods.
“We have made significant investments over the last five years to transform the agriculture sector. The budgetary allocation to agriculture has increased substantially, allowing us to invest in infrastructure, research, drainage and irrigation, mechanization, and support services for farmers across the country. We have introduced new and improved crop varieties, expanded cultivation of high-value crops, and are working to ensure that every region contributes meaningfully to national food production,” Minister Mustapha said.
To support this initiative, Minister Mustapha announced that a full technical team from NAREI and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will work with residents to develop an economic development plan tailored to the community’s needs and resources. He also committed to providing agricultural inputs, including seeds, fertilizers, and agrochemicals, while measures will immediately be put in place to address the Acoushi ant infestation that continues to affect cultivation in the area.
Recognizing the potential for aquaculture development, Minister Mustapha also committed to establishing a fish cage project in the community to create an additional source of income and improve access to protein for residents.
He further encouraged residents to expand cassava cultivation, noting that cassava and cassava-based products continue to experience strong demand both locally and regionally.
“Cassava is one of the crops that has tremendous potential. We are seeing growing demand for cassava and cassava-based products, and we want communities like Jawalla to benefit from these opportunities. Through improved planting materials, technical support, and market access, we can increase production and create new income streams for farmers,” he explained.
To ensure that farmers can benefit from expanded production, Minister Mustapha said that the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) will provide support in the areas of marketing and agro-processing to help create value-added products and secure markets for agricultural produce.
“We are not only interested in producing more crops; we want to create value-added products and build agro-industries. Our vision is to move Guyana from being primarily a producer of raw agricultural commodities to becoming a regional agro-processing hub. That is why we are investing in packaging and agro-processing facilities, market access, and new technologies and equipment that allow farmers and communities to earn more from what they produce,” Minister Mustapha said.
