All set for Agri-Investment Forum and Expo - 2023

All set for Agri-Investment Forum and Expo – 2023

Oct 19, 2023 News

…Minister says several regional, int’l companies to attend

– over 100 agro-processors to participate

Kaieteur News – Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha on Wednesday confirmed that preparations are almost completed for the launch of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo-2023, which opens on Friday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC).

The forum will last for three days. During a press conference and walk-through of the facilities set up yesterday, Mustapha said the third Agri-Investment Forum and Expo is the second to be held in Guyana. He noted that the event is co-chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture of Guyana and the CARICOM Secretariat.

“As you are aware, CARICOM Heads agreed that the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo would be the appropriate mechanism to address the issue of the region’s rising food import bill and also to stimulate investments in agriculture and food production,” the Minister said.

He said members of the media, as well as citizens who visit the expo, would be able to see the individual and collective potential that exist to develop regional agricultural sectors. He said they would also be able to learn of the plans for food security and emerging prospects in CARICOM’s agriculture, including technological and logistical solutions.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha joined by members of the planning committee

Mustapha further noted that the event will showcase Guyana’s unwavering commitment to the development and modernisation of the sector while realising its potential of being the breadbasket in CARICOM.

Kaieteur News understands that speakers for the opening ceremony include CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett; Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley; and Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who will deliver the feature address. He also reminded that the opening ceremony will be under a massive tent set up to take centre stage in the ACCC’s compound.

For the Exhibition, which will be open from 10 am to 10 pm for three days, Minister Mustapha said all of the booth spaces have been taken, adding that the exhibition promises to be larger than last year’s. “This demonstrates the growing interest in the agriculture sector here in Guyana and across the region,” he said. He was also pleased to share that there will be 150 exhibitors and over 80 agro-processors that will showcase a diverse quality agricultural products and support systems. He said a farmers’ market will also be present for the duration of the event.

Furthermore, Minister Mustapha said several international agencies will also be present. So far, Mustapha said delegations from Suriname, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have confirmed participation.

Additionally, Minister Mustapha said there will be a keynote presentation by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo. Mustapha said the Vice President will speak on the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2023 and its alignment with the government’s plans for agricultural development.

He said that two technical presentations and four-panel discussions will be held on Climate Smart Initiatives in Agriculture, Financing for Agriculture Development, Agri-Tech and Innovation and Women and Youth in Agriculture Development. Overall, the minister said the Forum will highlight discussions to accelerate CARICOM’s mission of reducing food imports by 25 percent by 2025, hence the event theme being “Achieving Vision 25 by 2025.”

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Agri Investment Forum and Expo 2023, Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC), CARICOM, Guyana, Ministry of Agriculture

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