Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed on Monday that the platform is also being used by more than 2,000 persons who are not registered as farmers.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Farmers Forum at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Mustapha said Farmers Connect allows persons in the agriculture sector to communicate directly with the ministry and its agencies, including from remote communities.

Through the application, farmers can seek assistance with drainage and irrigation, marketing, extension services and pest and disease problems.

“You can be with your smartphone in Orealla, and you can send a message to the Ministry of Agriculture to get help in terms of extension services, to get help in marketing, drainage and irrigation, look at problems with pests and diseases and other things like that,” Mustapha said.

Reports submitted through the platform are monitored by personnel from agencies under the Agriculture Ministry and directed to the relevant body for attention.

This includes the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) for drainage and irrigation matters and the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) for marketing assistance.

Farmers Connect also provides access to weather information, market prices and pest and disease alerts. Farmers can receive guidance on suitable crops based on soil conditions and connect with buyers, exporters and agro-processors.

Another feature provides AI-assisted crop diagnostics, allowing farmers to identify possible plant diseases and receive recommendations on treatment.

According to Mustapha, farmers from all regions of Guyana are already using the platform, giving the application nationwide reach.
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Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the initiative is intended to give farmers a more dependable market while helping hotels secure a steady supply of locally produced fruits, vegetables, herbs and other agricultural products.

Mustapha, during an engagement with farmers at the Liliendall Community Centre on Wednesday, said greater coordination is needed to ensure production matches what the market requires.

“The issue is not simply whether farmers can produce. The issue is whether we can organize production around the requirements of the market,” the Minister said.

Under the initiative, the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) is expected to help connect farmers with hotels, while the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will work with the Guyana Chamber of Commerce and Industry to identify farmers capable of supplying the hospitality sector.

Farmers will also be encouraged to meet requirements relating to quality, food safety, packaging and consistent delivery.

With a clearer understanding of the quantities and types of produce required, farmers could also be better positioned to expand production and invest in irrigation, improved planting material, greenhouse technology and machinery.

The initiative is also expected to create opportunities in areas such as transportation, packaging, storage and processing as demand for local produce increases.

Mustapha said the arrangement must benefit both sectors, with farmers receiving sustainable prices while hotels have access to quality local products at competitive prices.

Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, Ali said cost-of-living challenges must be addressed from several angles, including global price shocks, input costs, retail markups and changing consumer habits.

The President said Guyana is affected by imported inflation because, although the country produces crude oil, it still imports refined fuel and other products. He said global disruptions have also affected the cost of fertiliser, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, which in turn pushes up food prices.

The Head of State said the government has already used several policy tools to help reduce production costs, including removing VAT and other taxes, providing subsidies to farmers and reversing increases in drainage and irrigation charges and land rental fees.

However, he said the country must now look more closely at what happens between farmers and retailers.

According to Ali, farmers have complained that produce sold at one price in the wholesale market is being resold at much higher prices by the time it reaches consumers.

“So the farmers, when you go to the wholesale market, the farmers are saying, look, we’re selling plantains at X dollar. But when it gets to the market, it’s 10X,” Ali said.

He said one possible response is the establishment of farmers markets as a permanent part of the country’s buying system, giving farmers more direct access to consumers.

“We may need to look at the creation of farmers markets across the country as a permanent part of our buying ecosystem so that farmers have direct access to the market,” he said.

Ali also pointed to changing shopping and eating patterns as part of the cost-of-living issue. He said more Guyanese are now shopping in supermarkets, where margins are different from traditional markets, and more families are eating out or cooking less at home than they did four years ago.

The President said those shifts have added a cultural dimension to the challenge, since some items that were once commonly bought in open markets are now being purchased in supermarkets, where operating costs and profit margins may be higher.

He also highlighted bottled water as another everyday cost affecting families, noting that children, workers and pensioners often buy water throughout the day. The President said water is an essential commodity that may have to be addressed differently, even though government’s role is generally to enable private-sector growth rather than compete with businesses.

Ali said grants alone will not solve the cost-of-living problem, although they remain useful in supporting vulnerable groups and boosting household income.

“No amount of grant will address it,” he said, adding that the issue must be handled structurally by examining the movement of goods from farmers to retailers, the input costs faced by producers and the margins being added along the way.

The President said the government will have to approach the matter in a “multi-dimensional” way, taking into account cultural changes, buying patterns, eating habits, retail margins and global pressures.

“It has to be holistic,” the President said.

During the engagement, Minister Mustapha outlined a number of measures being implemented by the Government to maintain stability in the poultry market and ensure that consumers continue to have reliable access to chicken at reasonable and stable prices.

The Minister explained that Government, in collaboration with stakeholders in the poultry industry, is closely monitoring production, supply and market demand to ensure that any temporary supply gaps are addressed on time.

As part of this approach, arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the temporary importation of approximately 330,000 pounds of chicken per week. The imports will complement local production and help to maintain adequate supplies on the domestic market while local production continues to strengthen.

Minister Mustapha stressed that the measure is a temporary and carefully managed intervention, designed to safeguard consumers while at the same time protecting and supporting Guyana’s local poultry producers.

The New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) is facilitating the importation process, with the chicken to be distributed through local distributors and suppliers across the country. The Minister said the process will remain subject to monitoring and oversight to ensure that the intervention achieves its intended purpose and that the market remains stable.

Minister Mustapha also highlighted Government’s commitment to strengthening the poultry industry over the long term. He said attention is being given to expanding storage and cold-storage capacity within the sector.

According to the Minister, increased storage capacity would provide producers with greater flexibility to manage production and market supply. During periods when production is high, poultry could be properly stored and subsequently released onto the market when demand increases, helping to create greater predictability and stability for both producers and consumers.

The Minister said Government’s approach is focused on maintaining a strong, resilient and sustainable poultry industry, while ensuring that consumers have access to an adequate supply of affordable chicken.

He further emphasized that Government will continue to work closely with poultry producers, importers, distributors and other private-sector stakeholders to monitor the market and respond where necessary.

“The objective is to ensure that there is a reliable supply of chicken for consumers while creating the conditions for our local poultry industry to continue expanding and becoming more resilient,” Minister Mustapha said.

The engagement with the PSC forms part of Government’s ongoing consultations with the private sector as it works to strengthen Guyana’s agricultural value chains, improve market stability and ensure food security.

Government remains committed to supporting local production while taking the necessary measures to ensure that consumers are protected and that the poultry industry continues to grow in a stable and sustainable manner.

Speaking during a community outreach in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, President Ali said the government is exploring the establishment of a cargo service between Charity and the Moruca sub-region to transport food and other essential goods at lower costs.

According to the President, the proposed service could be operated by a consortium of young entrepreneurs with financing support from the Guyana Development Bank.

“In addressing the issue of cost of living, we have to address the issue of transportation. We have to address the issue of food production. We have to address the issue of infrastructure…There is only one sure way of securing our communities, and that is improving our own ability to produce our own food,” President Ali stated.

To further support the initiative, the President also announced plans to expand agricultural production in the sub-region, including poultry farming, through financing from the Guyana Development Bank.

He said boosting local food production will help reduce food prices for residents while creating new economic opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs in the Moruca sub-region.

Speaking during a community engagement at the Matthew’s Ridge Skills Training Centre on Wednesday, the President said the government’s ongoing investments in roads, the upgraded airstrip and other key infrastructure are intended to improve transportation, create employment opportunities and stimulate economic activity across the sub-region.

According to Dr. Ali, improved connectivity will facilitate the movement of cargo, increase access to markets and open up additional lands for agriculture, mining and forestry.

The President also proposed the establishment of community-based consortiums comprising farmers, small-scale miners and forestry operators. He explained that these groups would be able to access financing through the Guyana Development Bank to purchase equipment and expand production.

In addition, Dr. Ali said the government plans to boost livestock and poultry farming, establish cold storage facilities, encourage value-added food production and expand eco-tourism through community-owned lodges and cabins.

He noted that the next phase of development in Matarkai will focus on increasing productivity, generating sustainable employment and creating greater opportunities for young people and women through targeted investments.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the government’s Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), launched in 2021, has been driving that transformation by helping young people enter agriculture through hydroponics, shade-house farming and, more recently, poultry production.

Speaking at a recent commissioning ceremony, the minister recalled that Guyana previously imported about $600 million in high-value vegetables each year, including broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and bell peppers, largely to supply the country’s expanding hospitality sector.

“Today, we are producing, and the young people in our country are producing more of those products,” Mustapha said.

To create stronger markets for local farmers, the Agriculture Ministry will soon bring together hotel owners and other stakeholders to establish direct supply arrangements between producers and the hospitality industry.

“We will be inviting all the owners of hotels to come into our ministry to talk to them and link them to farmers, link them to groups where they can have their produce directly from the farmers supplied to the hotels,” the minister said.

Mustapha said more than 300 young people are now participating in the programme’s hydroponics and shade-house projects, many of whom had no previous farming experience. He also noted that more women are becoming involved in livestock production, including sheep and cattle rearing.

According to the minister, expanding local production will not only strengthen Guyana’s food security but also position the country to meet growing demand across the Caribbean while creating more employment opportunities in agriculture.

The Minister expressed sincere appreciation to members of the Guyanese diaspora for their unwavering support and the important role they continue to play in the nation’s development. He acknowledged their enduring connection to their homeland and recognized the contributions they have made through investments, remittances, skills transfer, and advocacy.

Minister Mustapha also encouraged Guyanese living overseas to take advantage of the many opportunities now available in Guyana, emphasizing that the country is experiencing a period of unprecedented economic growth and national development. He urged members of the diaspora to return home, invest, and become active partners in building a stronger, more prosperous Guyana.

The Bloomfield Village Reunion brought together former residents, families, and friends to celebrate their shared heritage while strengthening the bonds that continue to unite the Bloomfield community across generations and borders.

While delivering remarks at the event, Minister Mustapha said the project is another demonstration of the Government’s long-term vision for transforming agriculture into a modern, technology-driven sector.

“Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana is transitioning from a country that grows food to a nation that designs and manages modern agricultural ecosystems. We are positioning our livestock sector to be efficient, sustainable, and scale to levels never before seen in CARICOM,” Minister Mustapha said.

Delivering the feature address, Prime Minister Brig. (Ret’d) Hon. Mark Phillips said the Government has developed a clear vision for the future of Guyana’s agriculture sector, one driven by innovation, resilience and technology to improve productivity and protect farmers.

“We have developed a vision of what we want for agriculture here in Guyana. Ours is a vision of where technology is harnessed to shield farmers from the whims of the weather, where local production of inputs frees them from the volatility of global markets. Where value-added processing ensures that their produce does not perish, but instead reaches consumers with quality and consistency,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

The Tunnel Ventilated Pens Project represents an investment of more than G$1 billion in infrastructure, equipment, and training and has expanded the AIEP across Regions Three, Four, and Five. The project comprises five state-of-the-art poultry facilities located at Mon Repos, Cornelia Ida, and Onverwagt, all of which have been completed and are currently stocked with birds that are performing exceptionally well.

Designed to international poultry production standards, each tunnel-ventilated pen accommodates between 20,000 and 45,000 birds, with broilers reaching market weight in just five to six weeks. The facilities utilize controlled-environment technology that enhances production efficiency while improving flock health and overall performance.

In a letter published in the daily newspapers on May 25, Bhagwandin argued that the current direction of the agriculture sector goes beyond increasing production and reflects a deliberate strategy aimed at expanding Guyana’s productive base.

“The issue is not simply more production. It is structural transformation,” Bhagwandin stated.

According to him, the Government’s agricultural drive is tied closely to the country’s food security agenda heading into 2030, especially as Guyana’s annual food import bill is approaching GYD 200 billion depending on global prices and import demand.

“The message from the field is clear: agriculture is no longer being expanded only along traditional lines. It is being widened into a broader production system capable of displacing imports, creating new value chains, and contributing more materially to agricultural GDP and the non-oil economy,” he wrote.

Bhagwandin pointed to pilot projects involving beet and onion cultivation, along with the scaling up of corn and soya production, as evidence of efforts to develop agricultural sub-sectors that were previously underdeveloped in Guyana.

He also referenced investments in agro-processing, poultry and aquaculture as part of what he described as a wider production model focused on import substitution and value-added production.

“This is not merely about producing more within the same structure. It is about structural expansion, with a wider range of agricultural and agro-industrial activities being created, formalized and added to the country’s GDP base,” Bhagwandin noted.

The economist further linked the strategy to Budget 2026 allocations, noting that the Government has budgeted GYD 113.2 billion for the agriculture sector this year, including GYD 81.9 billion earmarked for drainage and irrigation works.

“These are the fiscal fingerprints of a state trying to widen the non-oil production base while oil revenues still provide the fiscal space to do so,” he stated.

Bhagwandin said Guyana currently has about 1.04 million acres of agricultural land available, but only around 32 per cent is under cultivation. He noted that Government’s plan to develop 100,000 acres of new arable lands by 2030 would increase cultivated lands to roughly 42 per cent.

“The implication is straightforward: Guyana is not merely trying to raise output at the margin; it is investing heavily to expand the productive potential of the sector itself,” he wrote.

He also highlighted tax incentives announced in Budget 2026, including the removal of corporate taxes on agriculture and agro-processing businesses, saying the measure is intended to improve reinvestment and strengthen production capacity.

“In other words, the state is directly lowering the tax-cost structure on productive activity. That is serious sector-building,” Bhagwandin stated.At the same time, the economist warned that increased public spending alone will not guarantee success if local producers remain unable to access financing needed to expand operations.

“Without a stronger development finance architecture, Guyana risks overinvesting in physical assets while underfinancing domestic productive actors,” he cautioned.

Bhagwandin also referenced SphereX estimates showing aggregate household income rising from approximately GYD 119.7 billion in 2010 to about GYD 790.1 billion in 2025, arguing that rising incomes will increase demand for food and agricultural products.

“The real question is whether that incremental demand will be captured by Guyanese farmers, processors and agribusinesses, or whether it will continue to leak outward through imports,” he stated.

According to Bhagwandin, agriculture now sits at the centre of Guyana’s long-term non-oil development strategy.

“Oil may dominate the headline numbers today, but it will not solve the employment question on its own, nor the rural income question, nor the import substitution question, nor the long-run resilience question,” he wrote.

He added that if managed properly through infrastructure, fiscal support and stronger financing mechanisms, agriculture could emerge as a major pillar of Guyana’s non-oil economy beyond 2030.

“So far, the signals suggest that the Government is on the right track,” Bhagwandin stated.