-Over 1 million plantlets per year, compared to the previous 15,000
The government continues to champion food security, with the annual amount of plantlets produced to be increased by 50 times, as Guyana places importance on diversifying agriculture and investing in sustainable, science-driven practices to ensure a food-secure future for generations to come.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, commissioned the country’s first biotechnology plant tissue culture laboratory at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) on Tuesday.
The minister had announced this laboratory commissioning at the NAREI open day event on October 14, 2025, where he emphasised the importance of investments made in the agricultural sector.
With an investment of approximately $450 million, the laboratory aims to supply clean, disease-free, and high-quality plantlets to farmers and researchers.
He mentioned that, with the previous facilities commissioned just a few weeks ago, this is a landmark achievement in Guyana’s ongoing journey towards agricultural modernisation, resilience, and innovation.
“I want to tell you, the farmers, you should be very excited here this morning, excited that we are moving to increase the number of plantlets that we have been producing annually by 50 times, imagine that….1 million plantlets”, the minister stated.
According to Minister Mustapha, Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Guyana’s non-oil economy, contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), creating jobs, and strengthening food security.
“We will transform our agriculture sector”, the minister said.
“Over time, this increases the national supply of key crops such as plantains, pineapples, citrus, and root crops, which will strengthen domestic food security and sustain the local agro-processing industries, such as fruit processing, packaging, and export,” he explained.
The minister noted that this facility will enhance students’ studies to more practical work in the field.
The new laboratory was developed in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) of India and financed through the Inter-American Development Bank under the Sustainable Agricultural Development Program (SADP).
It will provide clean, high-yielding, disease-free planting material for crops such as pineapple, citrus, plantain, sweet potato, breadfruit, sugarcane, and even exotic fruits like strawberries and blackberries.
This new facility represents more than a building. It shows the government’s commitment and dedication to food security.
It also marks the government’s determination to ensure that Guyana remains a regional leader in sustainable agricultural development in today’s world.
