…plans in play to make agriculture a rival to oil
In the 2021 Budget, the expenditure for agriculture and food safety in Guyana will increase from $18.4B to $22.6B, according to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.
He presented the budget to the National Assembly on Friday. The Minister told the House that Guyanese can expect new farm-to-market roads, the opening of new lands, expansion of infrastructure in the interior savannahs, expansion of drainage and irrigation networks, reduction of trade barriers, research and development, and the fostering of private sector participation in agriculture-based tourism.
The Minister said: “This People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government’s intention is that agriculture will be one of the major anchors of our non-oil economy.”
From the $18.4B pumped into the industry in the previous 2020 Budget, $9B was channelled towards improving drainage and irrigation across the nation.
Then, $112.9M was also injected into the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary-Agricultural Development Authority to also assist with drainage and irrigation and to bring additional lands to a usable state.
