AGRI Min, UN General Assembly President Visit NAREI

Earlier today, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha led a high-profile delegation, including the President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Dennis Francis, to the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) located in Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara.

During the visit, the delegation toured several key facilities at NAREI, including the tissue culture and soil testing laboratories, the mangrove center, the Agriculture Innovative and Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), and the Victoria Green hydroponic farm. These facilities are central to Guyana’s agricultural research and development efforts.

Minister Mustapha highlighted to Ambassador Francis the government’s significant investments in promoting and sustaining agricultural development across the country. He emphasized the focus on technological advancements aimed at increasing youth participation in both new and existing agricultural programs in Guyana.

Minister Mustapha also shared that the Ministry is collaborating with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to develop a Center for Excellence. Additionally, ongoing partnerships with other CARICOM member states are being strengthened to provide scholarships for students to attend the Guyana School of Agriculture.

Ambassador Francis expressed his admiration for the research facilities at NAREI and commended the Government of Guyana for its progress toward achieving the targets set under the “25 by 2025” Initiative. He noted the longstanding issue of the Caribbean region’s heavy reliance on food imports, which has led to vulnerabilities in ensuring food security. He praised the efforts being made to reduce this dependency and enhance local food production.

(Ministry of Agriculture)