Important advances in agriculture among key areas discussed during Ministers and Secretaries of Agriculture Meeting in Mexico

Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana, October 25, 2016

Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder returned from Merida, Mexico where he attended a series of high level meetings on agriculture in Mexico and Caribbean Countries.

Among the areas which emphasis were placed were Animal and Plant Health, Safety and Quality challenges and Joint Venture recognition within the Caribbean, Productivity Enhancement and Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Sustainability, strengthening South-South Cooperation within Caribbean Regions and geospatial information for early warning and decision making.

Additionally, participants were given the opportunity to discuss ways in which these nations can promote closer collaborations with other countries in the Caribbean in order to facilitate trade of agricultural produce.

Discussions on initiatives and coordination of intra and inter-sectoral actions at the regional, sub-regional and national levels by adopting and exchanging information on policies developed by participating countries were given top priority as Ministers and Secretaries saw the need to improve in this regard.

During the course of the week, efforts were made to formulate an integrated comprehensive approach to three outlined sustainable development dimensions. These included economic, social and environmental approaches.

Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder in an invited comment said that meetings of this nature provide opportunities to facilitate an exchange of experiences and best practices in phytosanitary regulations, spatial data for decision making and the improvement of productivity and sustainability of agriculture in the region.

“The government’s agricultural trajectory outlines the nexus between food security and nutrition security in its eco-system and emphasizes the need for good governance among all sectors and actors involved by implementing policies which will, in turn, further develop Guyana’s food and nutrition security.” Minister Holder said.

The meetings served as a means to further advance and facilitate the sharing of expertise among Caribbean countries in strategic food industry areas and will set the ground work for two regional technical cooperation projects which will be implemented in the short term, gathering the inputs of key players in the agricultural industry.