SADP project concludes with strong gains for Agriculture sector
March 18 2025
The Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday marked the completion of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme (SADP) with a Project Completion Exit Workshop held at the World Trade Center in Georgetown.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders to evaluate the programme’s performance, highlight major achievements and innovations, and identify challenges and lessons to guide future agricultural initiatives.
Delivering remarks at the forum, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha described the SADP as a significant collaboration between the Government of Guyana and the IDB, aimed at advancing the country’s agricultural sector for the benefit of its people.
He noted that the programme successfully met its core objectives, including helping farmers boost productivity, improve their livelihoods, and strengthening agricultural institutions while modernizing systems that support the sector.
IDB Country Representative Lorena Solórzano-Salazar echoed similar sentiments, stating that the project aligned closely with the government’s vision for agriculture and stands among the most successful initiatives funded by the Bank in Guyana.
The workshop saw participation from technical officers representing several agencies under the ministry, including the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), Hope Estate, the Fisheries Department, and the Guyana Food Safety Authority.
Throughout its implementation, the SADP delivered tangible support to farmers and institutions. In March 2023, the Ministry received approximately $150 million in equipment to enhance extension services targeting small- and medium-scale farmers across Regions Two to Six and Ten.
Additionally, in August 2023, thirty farmers from Region Four (Demerara–Mahaica) benefited from agricultural inputs valued at $3.3 million.
Under one of its key components, the project also invested in strengthening the ministry’s extension system through training for staff and farmers, as well as the establishment of research and demonstration plots.
The conclusion of the SADP marks another step in Guyana’s ongoing efforts to modernize its agriculture sector and improve outcomes for farmers nationwide.
