—Urges CARICOM leaders not to lose momentum 

Georgetown, Guyana—(May 20, 2022) His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali announced that together as a Region, all CARICOM member states are ready to move forward in every aspect of the food production system towards achieving vision 25 by 2025.

The Head of State made this affirmation on Thursday as he addressed attendees at the launch of the inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, at the National Cultural Centre.

The three-day event is being held under the theme ‘Investing in Vision 25 by 2025’.

“Together we are ready to move forward in every aspect of the food production system in this region from production, to trade, to trade relations, to issues of markets, of barriers; every single issue, transport and logistics, every single issue is on the table…”

CRITICAL SOLUTIONS NEEDED

President Ali, who is the Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Agriculture in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet said too that if the existing issues cannot be addressed in a collective, multifaceted manner, then member states will not be able to bring the long-term solutions that are so critically required.

He pointed to the existing global challenges and the resultant increases in food prices for commodities including wheat, cereal, corn and soya among others which are projected to further increase by 2030. 

The President announced that Guyana has already undertaken several initiatives to achieve the 25 by 2025 target. He spoke of measures undertaken locally to bolster the poultry and aquaculture industries as well as initiatives to produce corn and soya and increase the production of vegetables and rice.

“To reduce our import bill, which is approximately US$30m, we have entered into partnership and collaboration with our private sector, building consortium with our farmers and young people in the production of high-value crops, corn and soya and special project for the young people to launch shade houses…”

Regarding critical partnerships, President Ali spoke of several initiatives being undertaken in partnership with Barbados including the Black Belly Sheep initiative; the two countries have also agreed to a shade house initiative, which will see the setting up of 50 shade houses in Barbados.

CORRECTING THE IMBALANCE

Given the realities facing the Region regarding food security, the President emphasised that leaders of CARICOM, through this Agri Investment Forum must send a strong message.

“We must correct the imbalance and we must be prepared to achieve the target of 25 by 2025.”

He urged leaders not to lose momentum as the Region simply “cannot continue the importation of billions of dollars in products” that can be produced locally.

In achieving this, he acknowledged that there are many challenges facing each country, which they are working to resolve in partnership with the private sector in the areas of financing, logistics and transport, improving primary production, improving agro-processing, linking market to produce and most importantly, trade barriers that continue to halt efforts at working as a collective.

President Ali also called for “time-bound commitment” and an overarching strategy to guide the achievement of set targets.

The Prime Minister of Belize and current chair of CARICOM; the Honourable John Antonio Briceño; Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Honourable Gaston Browne; Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley; Prime Minister of Dominica, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit; Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Dr Keith Rowley; Premier of Montserrat, the Honourable Joseph Farrell and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation of The Bahamas, the Honourable Isaac Chester Cooper also spoke at the event and lauded the efforts of President Ali and his team.

Following the opening ceremony, the delegation attended the exhibition held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre and later participated in a development partners’ roundtable which consisted of two panels: ‘Financing Agriculture and Fostering Food Security’ and making ‘Agriculture Fit for Purpose’.