GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Guyana Friday launched the third Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, with the government saying it remains committed to strengthening the process to transform the agri-food system through innovation and investment.
The October 20-22 forum will be held under the theme “Accelerating investment in Vision 25 by 2025.” Prime Minister Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips said the event will also advance investment and innovative measures to attain the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Vision 25 by 2025 target to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 percent by 2025.
Phillips, delivering the feature address, said that increased bilateral cooperation between countries, increased public-private partnerships, and an enabling environment for large-scale investments are all imperative for Vision 25 by 2025 to be successful.
He said that given all of these changes, Guyana anticipates that the private sector in the Caribbean, the international donor community, and multilateral development organizations would cooperate to create appropriate and sustainable regional transportation for food movement throughout the region.
“Transforming the agri-food system of the region will take the effort of every stakeholder in our region. This goal is not merely a financial consideration. By nurturing our regional agriculture sector, we empower our economies, strengthen our food security, promote sustainable practices, and preserve our cultural heritage,” Phillips said.
He commended the region’s Ministerial Task Force and all stakeholders on food production and food security for accelerating its aggressive agenda towards ensuring the efficiency, effectiveness, and implementation of the region’s strategy to advance CARICOM’s agri-food system.
“The actions of these regional leaders have sent an obvious message that as a region, we must work together to move forward in every aspect of the food production system,” Prime Minister Phillips said, noting that as regional leaders move forward with the food security agenda, the three-day event in October seeks to attract the investments and decisive actions required in crucial areas for agriculture and food production.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that the forum and expo would provide a platform to deliberate, discuss, strategize, and measure the outcome of the region’s progress since the establishment of the Ministerial Taskforce to drive food production while reducing the food importation bill in the Caribbean.
“We will discuss vital topics to ensure our actions are impactful today and sustainable for generations to come… It is the expectation that together we will explore innovative financing models, harness cutting-edge technologies, and amplify the impact of our collective efforts to propel us to a future filled with possibilities,” Mustapha noted.
Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Komal Singh, said the event offers excellent opportunities for farmers, food processing facilities, and other service providers to showcase their products and services.
“The private sector has a significant opportunity here to offer meaningful contribution by forming consortiums and partnerships that will assist in developing major mega-farms and agro-processing facilities, which will allow us to develop a robust agriculture sector in the region,” he said.
He said logistics also provides an excellent opportunity for shipping and transferring goods and services.
and then 