Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha expressed this sentiment while speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Tuesday.
He said this is particularly evident in the growing use of protected agriculture, hydroponics and other technology-driven approaches that allow farmers to manage changing weather conditions while improving production.
Minister Mustapha said deliberate investments in modern production systems and initiatives are equipping a new generation of farmers with the tools to build sustainable agricultural enterprises.
“The agriculture sector is on the move, a sector that is being modernised and a sector that is being very productive,” Minister Mustapha said.
The minister pointed to the Agriculture Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), which provides opportunities for graduates and young people to start their own agricultural businesses rather than pursue conventional employment.
He said the programme has shown that agriculture can provide viable and profitable career opportunities for young Guyanese, with participants becoming involved in areas ranging from protected crop production to poultry and other emerging enterprises.
“We have seen young people who would have passed through the Guyana School of Agriculture and the University of Guyana with degrees and diplomas, and those people are now earning their livelihood from agriculture,” he said.
According to Minister Mustapha, the government is also expanding the use of hydroponics and climate-resilient production systems, with young entrepreneurs managing modern facilities and supplying produce to major supermarkets.
The approach, he explained, is intended to help farmers respond to changing climatic conditions while giving producers greater control over irrigation, temperature and cultivation environments.
Beyond primary production, the government is placing greater emphasis on agro-processing to increase the value of locally produced commodities and improve returns to farmers.
He noted that 13 agro-processing facilities have been established across the country, including in hinterland communities where farmers previously had limited access to processing infrastructure.
The ministry is also supporting emerging agro-processors through technical training and assistance with packaging, labelling and other requirements needed to bring their products to market.
“We have been a primary producer for too long, and as a country moving forward and modernising the agriculture sector, we want to ensure that our farmers and agro-processors have the facilities so that they can add value to their products,” Minister Mustapha said.
He said the government will continue investing in initiatives that place farmers, particularly young people, at the centre of the sector’s advancement.
The initiatives, he added, are laying the foundation for a more resilient and commercially oriented agricultural sector capable of generating greater opportunities across Guyana. (Department of Public Information)
