The Agriculture Ministry, on Saturday unveiled the National Food and Nutrition Security Strategy, one day before Guyana joins countries the world over to observe World Food Day.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud
The strategy provides a 10-year road map linked to current and future policies shaping Guyana, ensuring that people have access to affordable and nutritious food three times a day.
This is not being done in isolation, Persaud said, noting that it is part of the vision of building a modern agriculture sector. While admitting that there are still challenges confronting the sector, Guyana, he stressed, is in a fortunate position since, “We spend less on food which is affordable and available”. The food and nutrition strategy is aimed at improving the health and well-being of Guyanese through policies and programmes that will be developed.
“This strategy is in a way a pullout from the Low Carbon Development Strategy and also the National Competitiveness Strategy as well as the Poverty Reduction Strategy,” Persaud said.
The minister appealed to farmers, processors, distributors and exporters to demonstrate pride in the way they conduct activities in the sector and to embrace the Grow More Food campaign.
On the observation of World Food Day, Persaud said the government of Guyana, through the Agriculture Ministry, has undertaken many initiatives to ensure the country remains food secure and able to combat the effects of rising food prices on the local population.
World Food Day is observed on October 16 every year. This year’s theme for World Food Day is “Food Prices: from crisis to stability”.
Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation Lystra Fletcher-Paul, said food prices have been affected because of natural conditions such as floods and droughts. She noted too that long-term underinvestment in research, technology and infrastructure hampers agriculture.
“More and better information is needed to allow greater transparency in trade and future markets.
This would help ensure that governments and traders make informed decisions and will avoid the panic or irrational reactions,” Fletcher-Paul said.
