Gov’t drafting Caribbean’s first agritourism policy

– Agritourism investments to boost growth in non-oil sectors

Following extensive discussions, the draft for the Caribbean’s first agritourism policy and roadmap was unveiled on Friday.

The document, compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), provides a strategic framework for funding and developing Guyana’s emerging agritourism sector.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, attended a national stakeholder meeting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where they participated in discussions on the policy’s details.

Strategically integrating Guyana’s rich agricultural heritage with its rapidly expanding tourism sector aims to create sustainable tourism experiences while fostering economic diversification.

The initiative is expected to open numerous development and employment opportunities for farmers, small businesses, and rural communities.

Minister Mustapha noted that the advancement of the agritourism sector will significantly aid in furthering Guyana’s economic growth in non-oil sectors.

“The development in the agritourism sector and the development of an agritourism roadmap and policies is not just another initiative. It’s a bold vision for the future of Guyana” the minister said.

Even though the policy was recently drafted, over the years the government has been investing in enhancing agritourism experiences including the construction of ecolodges.

Minister Walrond emphasised that Guyana already has the necessary resources and locations to offer enjoyable agritourism experiences on par with international standards.

She explained that “Right here at home we have been seeing what agritourism can do. The Rupununi rodeo is coming out of cattle farming and we’ve seen the attraction…People are looking for these kinds of authentic experiences.”

Beyond leveraging Guyana’s abundant agritourism assets, the policy aims to increase investments, create job opportunities, foster sustainable practices, and boost local food production.