Efforts to identify erosion-prone areas and plan mangrove restoration along Guyana’s coastline are expected to benefit from the relaunched Guyana Mangrove Information System (GuyMIS).
Developed by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), with support from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the upgraded platform brings together information on mangrove coverage, coastal changes and restoration projects.
Users can access interactive maps, research reports, photographs and educational materials through the system at mangroves.gov.gy.
Speaking at the relaunch, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the platform would help the ministry identify where interventions are needed and make better-informed decisions. It will also support the ministry’s data centre, which President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is expected to commission within a month.
Mustapha pointed to the protection mangroves provide for Guyana’s low-lying coast by reducing wave energy, trapping sediment and stabilising vulnerable shorelines. He said restoration also safeguards agricultural lands, farmers’ livelihoods and food security while strengthening resilience to climate change.
More than $592 million has been invested in mangrove restoration and coastal protection since 2020, with another $285 million budgeted for 2026. Guyana’s mangrove cover exceeded 23,000 hectares by the end of 2025.
GIS and Remote Sensing Research Officer Kim Chan-Bagot demonstrated how the platform combines environmental and spatial data with restoration records and monitoring tools.
Meanwhile, GGGI’s Country Representative for the Eastern Caribbean and Guyana, Daniel Smith, encouraged agencies to contribute relevant data and keep information updated.
He said sustained collaboration would be essential to identifying priority areas for protection and restoration, improving coordination and guiding future investments.
