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Guyana to enhance quality of foods being exported
Cabinet will soon be in possession of the draft Food Safety Bill aimed at ensuring that foods produced locally are of the highest quality.
The Bill seeks to establish a Food Safety Agency that will ensure a harmonized way to regulate the food industry and guarantee safety from the farm to the consumer.
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
According to Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Guyana must be able to export foods that satisfy sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
The Bill provides for the transformation of slaughter houses- which are common around Guyana- into abattoirs ensuring that beef is produced to the highest quality like in any part of the world.
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy stated that the Ministry’s Food Safety Bill is among several Bills that are to be presented to Parliament.
The Food Safety Bill has been discussed widely by stakeholders and the Ministry of Agriculture will ensure that it is subjected to the relevant scrutiny.
Dr. Ramsammy noted that the Bill is part of the Food and Nutrition Security Strategy’s implementation. Guyana is a net exporter of food and in July 2011, Guyana launched the Food and Nutrition Security Strategy. He said the strategy will see Guyana produce high quality, healthy food for Guyanese. In addition it will enhance the country’s reputation as a net exporter of food.
Since its launching, the strategy is being implemented in accordance with its goals. There are three components to the strategy: facilitating sustainable and stable employment; promoting systems for use and consumption of healthy foods for increased nutrition of all Guyanese; and promoting increased institutional coordination and functioning for improved food and nutrition security.
He said that another example of its implementation is the Hinterland Rice and Beans Project in Region Nine. This feasibility programme was established with 150 acres of rice cultivation and 15.5 acres of beans cultivation in Moco Moco.
In the first crop, more than 2,000 bags of rice paddy and more than 4,200 pounds of beans were produced. All the rice and beans produced were utilized in the district. This programme is continuing and it is expected that several other hinterland areas will start similar projects, securing employment for residents and providing access to affordable food.
It is anticipated that as part of the Food Safety Bill a Food Safety Commission will be established.
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