Guyana is on track to achieve self-sufficiency in its livestock feed production by 2025.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, revealed this important information on Monday during the commissioning of a soil chemical services laboratory at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute’s (NAREI) in Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
“For the first time, we are producing corn and soya in our country. And next year, we will be self-sufficient in producing all the livestock feed in our country,” the agriculture minister explained.
Every year, Guyana imports approximately US$40 million in livestock feed. Minister Mustapha said that this money could be invested in other sectors to further increase the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Self-sufficiency will be achieved by cultivating corn and soya beans successfully. Corn and soya are grown at Tacama, Berbice and over 10,000 acres is already being cultivated.
Corn and soya offer significant nutritional benefits. For example, soya beans produce “oilseed meal” – commonly known as s plant-derived protein supplement – that is used in animal feed to increase digestion and improve growth.
Corn silage – a high-energy and low-protein feed – is used to supplement the diet of growing dairy heifers and lactating cows.
This year’s budget allocated $967.8 million for the production of corn and soya beans. By the end of 2025, it is expected that a total of 30,000 acres will be dedicated to the cultivation of corn and soya.
Four years ago, investment in Guyana’s agriculture sector was around $13.5 billion.
However, since the PPP/C Government took office, that investment has been drastically increased to $77.6 billion.
With this substantial investment and the implementation of robust systems, Minister Mustapha noted that Guyana has reclaimed its leadership in agriculture within the Caribbean.
“Under the leadership of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, we have not only been put at the forefront of agriculture, but today we have recognised around the Caribbean a renewed interest in agriculture,” the minister pointed out.
He emphasised that agriculture is one of the country’s most important sectors because it is producing 60 per cent of the food consumed by citizens.
Since 2020, initiatives such as the Black Belly Sheep Programme, brackish water shrimp rearing, and the cultivation of high-yield crops like cauliflower and broccoli have been launched in order to diversify and bring product versatility to the sector.
Earlier this week, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) reported that the country’s rice yield went from 5.9 tonnes per hectare to 6.75 tonnes per hectare.
This is a result of direct government investments. [DPI]
