Guyana’s food security master plan more critical than ever

Jul 24, 2022 News

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By Kiana Wilburg

Whether it is the torrential weather patterns or supply chain disruptions for key inputs, the agriculture sector, here and across the world, is facing increasing pressures. The price for fresh greens and vegetables such as tomatoes is skyrocketing. Meanwhile, the costs for other goods that we need for a nutritious meal to support a healthy lifestyle are becoming more expensive.

The situation we face in Guyana is certainly not unique to us. From a panoramic view of the world which is offered via the latest report of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the state of access to food security is frightening. Here are some pertinent points just so you can grasp the picture in full.

• According to the FAO, there were great hopes that the world would emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and food security would begin to improve. Unfortunately, world hunger rose further in 2021. Almost 3.1 billion people could not afford even the cheapest healthy diet that is essential to good health and well-being. This is 112 million more than in 2019, reflecting the inflation in consumer food prices stemming from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures put in place to contain it.
• Projections are that nearly 670 million people will still be facing hunger in 2030 – 8 percent of the world population, which is the same as in 2015 when the 2030 Agenda was launched.
• Nine million more people were hungry in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020 than in 2019, and an additional 4 million were thrust into hunger between 2020 and 2021.
• Also, around 2.3 billion people in the world were moderately or severely food insecure in 2021, and 11.7 percent of the global population faced food insecurity at severe levels.

There are currently no statistics available on the extent to which the Guyanese population is affected by the prevailing increase in food prices but surely one can conclude and agree that the current state of affairs makes access to nutritious food even harder.

They also require us to candidly discuss three matters: what agricultural policies and fiscal measures are necessary to reduce the cost and improve access to nutritious foods; what measures are needed to increase self-sufficiency; and how can we fortify our agri-food systems to ensure they are more climate resilient.  

For the time being, we know that the President Irfaan Ali-led government has recognised the need for Guyana to intensify the utilisation of her rich soils and begin a fast-tracked approach toward food security.

In addition to fertiliser incentives that have been given to farmers along with grants to fisherfolk, the administration launched in January 2022, the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP). The initiative is expected to wipe out Guyana’s $2.6B import bill for broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

The Head of State had explained that the programme which was introduced to bolster the agriculture sector, empower youths and create jobs, will allow for the creation of 25 shade houses that will be managed on a rotational basis by graduates of the Guyana School of Agriculture and will be used for the cultivation of the said crops to meet domestic demand, and eventually, service regional demand. Since being launched, the programme has found its way into several schools.

To complement the foregoing, efforts are apace at the level of CARICOM for Guyana and other member states to reduce their food import bill by 25 percent in three years’ time.

At the 43^rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which was held from July 3 to 5, 2022, Heads of Government received an update on the progress made by the Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security (MTF) in advancing the CARICOM Agri-Food Systems Agenda to address the current food security challenges and rising food prices and to achieve the 25 by 2025 Vision.

They noted that a majority of Member States have developed and submitted to the MTF their national targets, which will contribute to the attainment of the 25 by 2025 targets. The MTF, through the Secretariat, has also developed a reporting and monitoring tool through which Member States are requested to report monthly. They mandated the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) to conclude, by the end of July 2022, various initiatives and programmes, aimed at the removal of Non-Tariff Barriers to Intra-Regional Trade.

Furthermore, Heads of Government requested the CARICOM Private Sector Organization Inc. (CPSO) to accelerate the implementation for its various agricultural investment projects.

Additionally, the MTF, working in collaboration with the CPSO, has identified 19 potential investment opportunities for displacing extra-regional agri-food imports into CARICOM Member States. The potential areas were not identified.

Be that as it may, they commended the Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification and Food Security Agriculture Development in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, President Ali, for his efforts thus far and endorsed the Action Plan and Outcome Statement of the event which called for priority action around four main areas: Food Insecurity, Regional Transportation, Trade Barriers, and Women and Youth in Agriculture.

It is left to be seen whether these valiant efforts to produce US$1.5B worth of food in three years in the region will be completely realised since Guyana, like the rest of the world, is facing unprecedented challenges in recovering from setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Irrespective of the circumstances/hardships, it is undeniable that Guyana has no choice but to refashion herself and her policies to ensure economic diversification; to ensure agriculture remains at the frontline of her development agenda.

I have every confidence that she is blessed with the talent and capabilities to do just that.

To share your comments or questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

 

 

 

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