Latest update November 14th, 2024 8:42 PM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Improving nation’s food security status-among 2012 goals  

Dec 31, 2012 News

 

Safeguarding Guyana’s food security was one of the milestones for achievements in the agriculture sector for 2012 and this effort was consolidated with the acknowledgement that the sector is already a mainstay in Guyana’s development. The sector focused on preserving and strengthening food security, reducing food imports, developing value-added (agro-processing) industry, developing an agro-fuel industry and creating employment and generating wealth.
Agriculture contributes almost 23% of the economy, accounts for more than 33% of employment and about 50% of Guyana’s export earnings come from the sector.

Food security
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has acknowledged that Guyana is a food secure country, as such the aim is to ensure that not only is food security preserved, but that status as well. The agriculture sector acknowledges that the taste in food varieties, by Guyanese, has impacted the food import bill which is US$225 per capita. Nevertheless that is slated to change with the implementation of projects like the Jagdeo initiative which was introduced to the Guyanese business and farming communities at GUYEXPO 2012.
The achievement of food security was the basis on which the Jagdeo Initiative, a regional programme, was conceptualised by former President Bharat Jagdeo who was responsible for agriculture in the Caribbean Community (Caricom). The initiative identifies and defines nine key, critical and binding constraints to the development of the agriculture sector in the Caribbean region and practical interventions at the regional and national levels to alleviate those constraints.
The ‘new agriculture vision’ aims at making the sector more than food production by exploring the numerous opportunities that exist for agro-businesses which will create more employment, increase export earnings and the income of all stakeholders, especially farmers.
Historic rice production
The local rice industry continued to stand in the face of the negative global economic changes to shoulder food security, gain export strength, and provide steady employment opportunities for Guyanese.
At the beginning of 2012, the rice production target was set at 412,000 tonnes, and at the close of the year, the Agriculture Ministry reported that as of December 18, production figures were at 420,000 tonnes, by far, the largest output in the history of rice production in Guyana.  This tremendous increase in output surpassed the 2011 production of 402,000 tonnes.
The rice sector has also done exceptionally well in export as well with more than 300,000 tonnes of rice sold to other countries.  The rice export earning now stands at US$176M and has the potential to increase by US$20M by the end of December 2012. Over the last three years, Venezuela has been the major export market for Guyana’s paddy and rice, accounting for approximately 60% of total export. While this is a very good trade for the country, the Ministry of Agriculture intends to continue rice exports to traditional markets in Europe and CARICOM countries like, Jamaica and Trinidad.
Claiming yet another major accomplishment for 2012, the Agriculture Ministry announced that Guyana’s first aromatic line of rice was successfully cultivated on 60 acres of land; moving from experimental conditions to actual field conditions.
The aromatic rice is expected to be tested across the country during 2013, with the expectation that at least 25 farmers will undertake the first commercial production of the  rice. This success can be credited to dedication of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Rice Development Board’s (GRDB) research programme.
(A GINA feature)

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 11th, 2024

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Guyana Beverage Inc. on board with Petra to host 8th Annual Girls U11 Football Tournament

Guyana Beverage Inc. on board with Petra to host 8th Annual Girls U11...

Nov 14, 2024

  Kaieteur Sports- As excitement builds for Saturday’s kickoff, Guyana Beverage Inc. through its Koolkidz brand has joined the roster of sponsors supporting the Petra Organisation’s MVP...
Read More
GFF launches NAMILCO/Maid Marian Wheat Up Women’s Cup

GFF launches NAMILCO/Maid Marian Wheat Up...

Nov 14, 2024

Semi’s bowls off tomorrow with double-header at Providence 

Semi’s bowls off tomorrow with...

Nov 14, 2024

NO SURPRISE!!

NO SURPRISE!!

Nov 14, 2024

More support for Project “Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”.

More support for Project “Cricket Gear for...

Nov 14, 2024

Guyana to participate at 2024 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup

Guyana to participate at 2024 FIBA 3×3...

Nov 13, 2024

Features/Columnists

  • Poor Power Planning (PPP)

    …Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- Planning has long been the PPP/C government’s pride and joy. The PPP/C touts it at rallies,... more

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]