‘Regional collaboration is vital for tackling hunger and malnutrition’ – Agri. Minister
Kaieteur News – Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha on Thursday emphasised that regional collaboration is essential to addressing hunger and malnutrition within the country.
Minister of Agriculture “Regional collaboration is vital for tackling hunger and malnutrition,” – Agri Minister
The Agriculture minister was at the time speaking during the High-Level Dialogue on, ‘Reflections on the fight against hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean.’ During the webinar, Minister Mustapha said that while the 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition report reflects progress, it also reminds the persistent challenges the government faces.
“For Guyana, the fight against hunger is not just a policy goal but a moral imperative,” the Minister said. He added, “…That is why we are here today (Friday) to share our experiences learn from each other and renew our collective commitment to eradicate hunger and malnutrition has outlined in the sustainable development goal.”
With that aside, the Agriculture Minister also highlighted the government’s public-private partnership initiatives and the regional leadership that Guyana is providing to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“We (the Government) are proud of our role within Caribbean’s effort to advance food security. Guyana leads the regional agriculture agenda and through public private partnership, we are fostering regional integration in agriculture,” he said. As such this includes addressing non-tariff barriers, expanding market access, and promoting agribusiness development.
In relation to the country’s collaboration with international agencies, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), among others Guyana has received support in the areas of sustainable agriculture, capacity building, research and development.
“Together we are driving innovation in agriculture, not just for Guyana but the broader Caribbean region. As we gather today here with this seminar it is clear that the regional collaboration is key to overcoming of hunger and malnutrition,” the Agriculture Minister underscored.
