Innovation driving Guyana’s agriculture transformation
October 1 2026
As Guyana marks Agriculture Month 2026, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha is highlighting the transformation taking place across the country’s agriculture sector, with a renewed focus on innovation, food security, climate resilience and sustainable growth.
Under the theme “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana,” this year’s observance comes against the backdrop of growing global food security concerns, climate change and uncertainty in international markets.
In his Agriculture Month message, Minister Mustapha outlined the Government’s ongoing investments in technology, mechanisation, drainage and irrigation, infrastructure, research, agro-processing and market development, while recognising the farmers, fisherfolk, agro-processors and agricultural workers whose efforts continue to drive the sector forward.
The Minister also pointed to significant gains in production and the increasing use of modern technologies as Guyana works to strengthen its food sovereignty and expand its role in regional food and nutrition security.
Below is the full message from Minister Mustapha in observance of Agriculture Month 2026:
“Agriculture Month 2026 is being observed at a time when food security has assumed even greater importance globally. Climate change, extreme weather events, disruptions to global supply chains, and continued uncertainty in international markets remind us that a nation’s ability to produce its own food is fundamental to its resilience, stability and prosperity. Here at home, strengthening El Niño conditions and the associated risks of drier periods and higher temperatures further underscore the importance of climate-resilient agriculture, effective water management, and preparedness.
Our theme, “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana,” speaks directly to the transformation taking place across Guyana’s agricultural sector. It reflects the direction in which we are taking agriculture and the opportunities that lie ahead.
We must innovate by embracing science, technology, research, mechanisation, digital agriculture and climate-smart production systems. We must nourish our people by ensuring access to safe, affordable, nutritious and reliable supplies of food, while strengthening Guyana’s food sovereignty and advancing our contribution to regional food and nutrition security. And we must grow by increasing productivity, creating opportunities and jobs, empowering women, attracting young people to agriculture and building stronger rural communities.
Agriculture remains one of the Government of Guyana’s highest development priorities. We continue to make strategic investments in drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market infrastructure, agro-processing, research, training and technology. These investments are strengthening productivity and competitiveness across the agricultural value chain and delivering tangible results, with the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector recording growth of 11.5 per cent in 2025.
This progress reinforces agriculture’s vital role in Guyana’s economic diversification and long-term prosperity. While Government continues to create the enabling environment, the achievements of our sector ultimately reflect the hard work, resilience and determination of our farmers, fisherfolk, agro-processors and agricultural workers.
Innovation is at the heart of the transformation of Guyana’s agriculture sector. Through greater use of technology, research, mechanisation and climate-smart production systems, we are helping our producers increase productivity, improve efficiency, strengthen resilience and compete in an increasingly modern agri-food economy.
This transformation is already evident in the use of drone-assisted operations, hydroponic farming, the Farmers Connect App, digital technologies, tunnel-ventilated poultry systems and other modern production methods.
Rice production has increased from approximately 500,000 tonnes in 2020 to 810,299 tonnes in 2025, demonstrating the tremendous progress being made in one of Guyana’s most important agricultural industries. At the same time, we continue efforts to modernise and diversify the sugar industry while expanding aquaculture, livestock and agro-processing.
Together, these developments are transforming Guyana’s agricultural landscape and creating new opportunities across high-value crops, aquaculture, apiculture and value-added food production.
We are also investing in cold storage, logistics and market infrastructure to help producers reduce post-harvest losses, improve efficiency and reach new markets. The development of the Regional Food Hub and supporting infrastructure will further strengthen Guyana’s position as a reliable supplier of high-quality agricultural products to regional and international markets.
The significance of agriculture extends far beyond production figures and economic indicators. At its heart, agriculture is about people. Our diversification efforts are helping to ensure that families have access to safe, affordable and nutritious food, while creating livelihoods, generating income and strengthening communities.
With production across 15 priority commodities increasing by 27.9 per cent between 2020 and 2025, Guyana is strengthening its capacity to meet domestic demand while playing an increasingly important role in regional food security and supporting CARICOM’s Vision 25 x 2025+5 target of reducing the Region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2030.
We are also expanding opportunities for women and young people throughout the agricultural value chain. The future of agriculture depends on attracting a new generation of innovators, producers, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Through greater access to training, technology, financing and productive resources, we are working to ensure that agriculture remains a sector of opportunity, entrepreneurship and aspiration.
Throughout Agriculture Month, we will bring agriculture closer to our people through a range of activities across the country, including farmers’ markets, the inaugural Farmers’ Conference and the Annual Honey Fest, among others.
These activities provide important opportunities to showcase the work of our farmers and agro-processors, strengthen connections between producers and consumers, exchange knowledge and celebrate the people whose hard work continues to drive the development of Guyana’s agriculture sector.
As we mark Agriculture Month 2026, we reaffirm our commitment to building an agriculture sector that is innovative, resilient, competitive and inclusive; a sector that feeds our people, creates prosperity for our producers, strengthens our communities and reinforces Guyana’s leadership in regional food and nutrition security.
The future of Guyana’s agriculture holds tremendous opportunity. Our responsibility is to seize that opportunity, invest wisely, embrace innovation, and ensure that the benefits of agricultural development reach our farmers, our families, and our communities.
Together, we can build a stronger and more sustainable Guyana.
Together, let us Innovate, Nourish and Grow.
Happy Agriculture Month 2026!”
