Guyana is seeking greater U.S. investment in agriculture and agro-processing as it works to expand production and develop value-added industries, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said on Wednesday during talks with a visiting U.S. business delegation.
The delegation, led by former U.S. ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch, met with government officials to explore investment opportunities in the country’s growing agricultural sector.
Mustapha said the government aims to transform Guyana into a major agricultural producer in the Caribbean by increasing output while building a stronger agro-industrial base capable of adding value to locally produced commodities.
He said authorities are facilitating partnerships between local stakeholders and foreign investors, including initiatives linking farmers and landowners with companies interested in large-scale cultivation and agro-processing. The government is also promoting public-private partnerships to accelerate investment across the sector.
Mustapha said local businesses would remain central to the development of new agricultural industries, citing the ongoing corn and soya bean project in the Tacama Savannah, an initiative championed by President Irfaan Ali and being developed through collaboration between the government and private-sector partners.
He also highlighted market opportunities within CARICOM, noting strong regional demand for a range of agricultural products. Guyana’s vast areas of arable land and abundant freshwater resources provide a competitive advantage for expanding agricultural production, he said.
Also attending the meeting were Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture Dhaneshwar Deonarine and President of the Caribbean Poultry Association and Managing Director of Bounty Farms Limited David Fernandes.
