603 shade houses constructed under agri innovation programme
Under the Ministry of Agriculture Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), 603 shade houses were constructed between the period 2021 to 2024.
His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali launched the initiative in 2021 to attract Guyana’s youth to the government’s agricultural development plan.
Providing an update during the ministry’s year-end press conference on Monday at his Regent Street office, the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, highlighted that in 2024 alone, 219 shade houses were constructed across the country.
“In the shade house and high-value crop programme which is the AIEP, 219 new shade houses were constructed in 2024. The main beneficiaries were farmers from various farming groups in the country and some governmental agencies,” the minister stated.
Over the past year, farmers from the AIEP’s hot pepper project constructed 25 shade houses, while 67 were built by a group of farmers.
Additionally, 21 shade houses were constructed at various public schools while six were built on farms.
A group known as ‘Coco Coffee’ also constructed three shade houses and an orphanage constructed one. A total of 96 shade houses were built by another local group.
To complement the shade houses, Guyana now boasts the largest hydroponics farm in the Caribbean. The farm is located at Mon Repos along the East Coast of Demerara.
The goal of these shade houses is to reduce the country’s regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.
To bolster this effort, the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) partnered with Victoria Green, a private company, to launch an innovative hydroponic greenhouse project.
The hydroponics farm, is now fully operational and has the capacity to accommodate approximately 100 seedlings.
Minister Mustapha noted, “This initiative highlights the nation’s dedication to sustainable agriculture and food security while promoting economic growth.”
The establishment of shade houses has significantly advanced Guyana’s goal of becoming a food hub for the Caribbean.
It has also enabled young people to earn a lucrative income through partnerships with the government while contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.