The halt in USAID funding for initiatives in Guyana’s agriculture sector will not significantly impact the Ministry of Agriculture or, more broadly, other affected sectors, as Guyana has become increasingly self-sufficient over the years.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh, made this assertion while responding to media questions on the sidelines of Parliament last week.
Dr Singh emphasised that Guyana has shifted its focus towards economic trade and commercial partnerships rather than reliance on foreign aid.
“There was a time when USAID was doing a lot of work in Guyana. At that time, Guyana was in a very different economic position, with limited private sector activity and widespread hardships,” Dr Singh stated.
He noted that Guyana was once heavily dependent on overseas development assistance, including funding from USAID. However, over time, this dependence has significantly decreased.
“What has happened over time is that our country has become significantly less dependent on official development assistance or aid. So, whereas there was a time when USAID programmes were a major contributor, they have tapered off,” he explained.
Dr Singh also stressed that while USAID-funded initiatives have continued in Guyana, they were not large-scale projects, and their halt would not be disruptive.
“We are not worried at all that these developments could be dissociative in any way whatsoever,” he affirmed.
The government has expanded domestic social programmes and remains confident that these initiatives will effectively address the needs of citizens.
USAID has historically supported Guyana’s health, agriculture, and education sectors.
However, concerns over its future contributions intensified following a directive from former US President Donald Trump to suspend global aid programmes pending a review.
The Ministry of Agriculture told Ignite News that it had not received any official correspondence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding USAID’s withdrawal.
A ministry official noted that, thus far, there has been no major impact on its operations, as USAID primarily provided training in a complementary capacity.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha assured that the ministry is making strategic investments in expansion programmes to strengthen the sector.
“Despite the decision regarding the aid, we will take the necessary steps to cushion any effects,” Minister Mustapha stated.
Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud declined to give an official comment on whether his office had received an official statement regarding the halt in USAID funding.
