Guyana emerges as Caribbean’s animal health reference point, backing ambition with investment

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali used his feature address at the 52nd meeting of the South American Commission for the Fight Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COSALFA 52) to position Guyana as a regional reference point for modern, evidence-based animal health management.

The president said that Guyana’s achievements demonstrate that a small, developing nation can meet the highest international standards and use that achievement to lift an entire region.

Region Five to Become the Livestock Capital

Central to that positioning is the transformation of Region Five, Mahaica-Berbice, into the livestock capital of Guyana and CARICOM.

“This initiative focuses on turning the region into a livestock hub, prioritising high-breed farming, inclusive of Ongole stock, to increase meat production,” President Ali said.

Ongole stock refers to cattle of the Ongole breed, a large, hardy Indian cattle breed originating from the Ongole region in Andhra Pradesh, India. They are regarded as among the most prized Bos indicus (zebu) breeds in the world.

Vaccine Manufacturing Facility on the Horizon

Reinforcing that ambition, the president announced that discussions are ongoing on the development of a vaccine manufacturing facility in Guyana, with the private sector taking a lead role, a move that would give CARICOM a domestic line of biosecurity defence and reduce reliance on external suppliers during outbreaks.

US $650 Million in Regional Investment Opportunities

The president also pointed to US $650 million in livestock investment opportunities across the region as the scale of what disease-free status and harmonised systems can unlock.

“As we scale our production of meat, poultry, dairy, and small ruminant sectors, there are over US $650 million in investment opportunities,” he said, tying the figure directly to the trust created by Guyana’s robust animal health architecture.

Concrete Investments Backing the Ambition

Underpinning those opportunities is a steady program of concrete investments.

Guyana has imported 6,000 improved live animals over the past few years, along with high-quality semen from elite herds, through a genetic improvement program now valued at approximately US $1 million annually.

The government has also procured PCR systems to strengthen molecular diagnostic capabilities and entered bilateral agreements with key biotechnology partners to conduct applied research locally.

PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction, a laboratory technique used to detect and amplify specific segments of DNA or RNA from a sample. The “PCR system” that the president referred to is the full setup of equipment, reagents, and software used to run the tests.

Crop Production Responding in Kind

The president signalled that on-the-ground production is already responding favourably, with expected growth of 10 per cent in corn and 23 per cent in soybeans this year, supported by significant investment in warehouse facilities, road networks, and silos to improve post-harvest handling.

Building Digital, Not Just Physical, Systems

The head of state stressed that the systems that Guyana is building are not only physical but digital.

“The systems we build today must be innovative, creative, built on technologies that allow the optimal use of AI, digitisation, and integrated record keeping, so that we build a system in which we support each other, in which we allow each other to grow and expand with trust and confidence,” he said.

He urged the region to “leverage digital technologies to enhance traceability, data management, and transparency, making our systems trade-ready and trustworthy.”

Unlocking International Financing and Vaccine Access

That trust, he added, is what opens the door to new international financing, grants and loans that are “very important for the further development of our local livestock surveillance programme,” and to expanded access to vaccines through the PANAFTOSA mechanism during potential outbreaks.

The PANAFTOSA mechanism refers to the Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health Centre headquartered in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. It has served as the scientific and coordinating backbone of the hemisphere’s fight against foot-and-mouth disease since 1951. 

PANAFTOSA is the specialised technical centre of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), which also happens to be the regional office of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the Americas.

Guyana as a Regional Reference Point

Taken together, the President framed these investments as more than national progress. Guyana’s traceability systems, diagnostic capacity, and evidence-based animal health management now position the country as a regional reference point, a neighbour others in the Caribbean can look to for guidance, partnership, and technical leadership.

“It demonstrates to the world that Caribbean countries can achieve world-class animal health status,” he said, describing Guyana’s trajectory as the validation of a model in which a small, developing nation can achieve the highest international standards and then use that achievement to lift an entire region.

“Our work here does not end with applause. It ends with action. It ends with stronger laboratories, better traceability, faster response times, and deeper trust among neighbours.”