Guyana president: Collaborative approach needed to achieve regional food security

Guyana’s President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has called on Caricom to get serious with its manufacturing and agriculture sector.

In a virtual address at the Trinidad and Tobago’s Manufacturing (TTMA) president’s dinner and awards ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on Tuesday evening, he said there were many gains and opportunities from having strong collaborations and regional integration through intraregional trade and policy co-ordination.

Ali said it was time for a serious strategic plan since the covid19 pandemic and heightened risks of climate change have made the region more vulnerable.

The fallout effects from the covid19 pandemic and climate change have threatened the region’s food security by compromising its ability to produce food and its ability to import food owing to rising freight and other import costs.

Ali, a member of Caricom’s Quasi-Cabinet, holds the portfolio for agriculture, agricultural diversification and food security including the regional transformation programme.

While there were challenges, he pointed out, many food production opportunities can be realised through a collective effort to work together to break down barriers and to take ownership of the common economic space in Caricom.

“Given the present leadership with (Barbados) Prime Minster (Mia) Mottley championing the cause of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and with the energy surrounding food production, we have the political will to achieve this.”

Pointing to agriculture, Ali said, many of the produce and products imported can be grown and manufactured in the region but questioned the reasons behind its failure.

Dairy, milk and cream, cheese and curd, butter milk, meat, goat sheep, beef, swine, vegetables and roots, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, corn and dried legumes were the 12 key imports in the region, he said.

“Food production and issues surrounding food production are at the heart of the challenges we are facing in Caricom. The supply chain prices have left many countries with shortages; the import inflation makes it very difficult for governments.

“We have to run ourselves around a common objective to see our operating space as one and remove those barriers that have kept back the food production system.”

He said manufacturing associations across the region had pivotal roles and responsibilities in ensuring the barriers were removed.

Investments in arable land, roads and infrastructure, transportation, removal of value-added tax and technology were some ways to provide assistance.

Ali added that investments will open up opportunities such as tourism development, environmental, biodiversity, construction, and human resource development among others.

He said there were also many potential partnerships for Guyana and TT in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and job creation.

With the recent oil and gas boom in Guyana, which has led to transformation to many sectors and access to resources, Ali said economic growth was expected to be 19.5 per cent in 2021.

“The favourable economic growth brings incredible opportunities including prospects for great cooperation with our regional partners, both government and private sector.

“We can benefit from the expertise of our neighbours and so many other countries who had similar experiences and challenges.”

Innovation, Ali said, was critical for building resilience, survival and sustainable development for the non-energy sector.

A 2020 International Monetary Fund (IMF) report titled Strengthening Caribbean Regional Integration said regional integration in the Caribbean was due to a “The lack of a regional body with powers and accountability that can help transform community decisions to binding laws in individual jurisdictions is a key impediment.”

It added that greater collaboration was needed and liberalisation of trade and greater labour mobility can generate significant benefits.