Flood relief grant distribution to Region Nine villages spearheaded by Agri Minister

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday took the government’s flood relief grant to
Shea, Maruranau and Awarewaunau indigenous farming villages in Region Nine.
He explained that the relief initiative, which was launched a few months ago, aims to help
farmers return to the land following the severe effects of the nationwide flooding. Minister
Mustapha disclosed that thus far, more than $2 B has been distributed to farmers. “Today is
important for us because it is a day that we are coming here to fulfil one of the promises that
were made by His Excellency, the President. And when we make promises we always deliver on
those promises and we take them very seriously,” the minister said.
The agriculture minister during the meetings with villagers, reiterated the significance of farmers
in Guyana. He stressed that agriculture is important and that the government is keen on
transforming the sector, even in the face of the oil and gas sector. Mustapha noted too that
Guyana has taken up the role to lead agriculture not just in Guyana, but the entire Caribbean.
“Our President is the lead spokesperson in the Caribbean on agriculture. We are chairing the
ministerial task force to advance the agriculture agenda in the Caribbean so you can see that
Guyana’s role today is very important,” hd explained.

Mustapha reminded that in June, President, Irfaan Ali had urged the eleventh meeting of the
Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) to
prioritise the work of the ministerial taskforce and was frank in his opening remarks to say that
he will move forward with those who are serious about getting the work done.
He said that President Ali had reiterated that in order to take the CARICOM Agri-Food System
Strategy forward, the implementation plans identified priority commodities such as poultry, other
meats (beef, pork and mutton), corn, rice, niche vegetables and coconut products. The President
had stated that CARICOM has the ability to achieve the targets identified to lower these priority
commodity imports by 2025 and the potential to increase coconut exports.
Minister Mustapha said that added further to this, President Ali is convinced that Guyana can
satisfy the food demands of the entire Caribbean, whose regional food import bill is $5 B. He
said that notably, news of the construction of three agro-processing facilities for this Indigenous
district (Aishalton, Karaudarnau, Achawib and Bashraizon) was announced by the agriculture
minister on Saturday.
The minister shared too that all of the villages in Region Nine will soon receive cassava mills.