Investor-farmer partnerships seen as key to scaling agriculture

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday called for stronger partnerships between farmers and the private sector to expand agriculture and advance the country’s food security drive.
Ali said successful crop trials across the country show the sector’s potential but require greater investment to scale up production.
“I’m encouraging all our business men and women…especially those with liquidity, to come and partner with the villages,” he said.
In the Rupununi, he pointed to commercial-scale trials of onions, tomatoes, beets, ground provisions, peanuts and watermelon, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ali said the results highlight strong prospects for large-scale farming in Region Nine.
“This is exactly the kind of investment and innovation we are advancing as we push to strengthen food security in Guyana and across the wider Caribbean,” he said.
The president noted that incentives, including zero corporate tax, are in place to encourage investment, adding that partnerships could boost output and expand exports of agricultural and value-added products.
“It’s time for our investors to come out of their comfort zones and be bold and innovative,” he said.
Guyana, with vast arable land, is positioning itself to meet domestic demand while supplying food to Caribbean and other markets.