The developed countries’ agenda is no more on fighting poverty and alleviating hunger but rather on “economic aggrandizement at the expense of poor people” and developing countries can no longer depend on the “courtesies and handouts” of those partners, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud says.
He asserted though that this can be seen “as a long delayed call to action” to ensure diversification of the agricultural industry and effectively compete in the world marketplace.
On the occasion of World Food Day yesterday, the Agriculture Minister again slammed the European Union’s “unconscionable dissolution” of the Sugar Protocol declaring it “drastic, unethical and anti-humanistic resort to narrow self interest”.
Persaud said that there are significant challenges ahead with the country’s main agricultural activities facing serious challenges from unilateral trade actions in Europe, protectionist and unfair policies of agricultural subsidization by competing countries, especially the US and in Europe and the immovable and non-negotiable trade agenda of major traditional partners. He cited the termination of the Sugar protocol as an example of this.
The Agriculture Minister said that in response to such changes, the industry must begin to host the “entire vertical integration of food production”. He argued that not only should production be done more efficiently but there must be a proactive and agile response to volatile and ever-changing markets. “We must also develop the technologies and industries to add value at home, and to ensure that we can meet the safety and quality control requirements of a fickle and demanding consumer”, he stated. Persaud stressed that his ministry is working to ensure that transformation noting that diversification was critical.
He said that the shifting emphasis of the developed world need not be a death knell to countries such as Guyana and urged recognition and the pursuing of initiatives and interventions such as the Jagdeo Initiative.
Persaud declared that Guyana enjoys food security and is a net food exporter and though there are significant opportunities still to be tapped in that sector, “we are by no means anywhere near to maximizing the potential”. He asserted that despite being hit by erratic weather patterns caused by climate change and various other factors “we continue to be a net exporter of food in recent years”.
Citing several projects undertaken including the Skeldon modernization project, among others Persaud declared that “we have also taken a proactive position that the sector needs to be further diversified to meet the challenges of global trade liberalization”. As such, he said, the Agriculture Ministry is leading efforts to garner support at both the national and international levels for assistance and resources aimed at agriculture diversification. He noted the diversification into agro-energy.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds noting that “Agriculture has been the foundation from which other developments have grown”, stated that farming is essential adding that Guyana has “moved much of the way but still has more to go”.
Also present at the ceremony held at the Guyana School of Agriculture, Mon Repos were various other officials involved in the Agriculture sector, students, members of the diplomatic corps and others. An exhibition was held with various private-sector companies and state agencies involved in the agriculture sector showcasing their products and services. World Food Day was celebrated under the theme – ‘The Right to Food’. (Gaulbert Sutherland)
