Guyana, Barbados strengthen agricultural ties

March 23 2026

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Monday engaged a high-level delegation from Barbados, led by Minister of Agriculture and Food and Nutritional Security, Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight, as both countries explored avenues for deeper collaboration to enhance regional food security and sustainability.

The meeting focused on several key agricultural initiatives, with particular emphasis on the success of the Black Belly Sheep programme—a joint effort that has significantly boosted Guyana’s livestock sector. Through the programme, Guyana initially received 1,000 Black Belly sheep from Barbados.

Minister Mustapha highlighted that since the initiative’s launch in Region Five in March 2022 by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the national herd has grown substantially, now surpassing 3,000. He further noted that the cross-breeding component of the project is underway, forming part of a broader strategy to establish a regional brand for mutton production.

According to the minister, this initiative is aimed at reducing reliance on imported mutton, particularly from New Zealand, while strengthening local and regional capacity. The effort aligns with CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 + 5” initiative, which targets a 25 per cent reduction in the region’s food import bill by 2030.

In addition to livestock development, the discussions also covered a range of ongoing collaborative projects between Guyana and Barbados. These include the expansion of the shade house programme, progress on the regional food hub initiative, plans for a regional ferry service, and developments within the brackish water shrimp programme.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening agricultural partnerships and advancing sustainable practices to support long-term food security across the Caribbean.