His Excellency President Irfaan Ali today announced that his Government will bolster the production capacity of Regions Eight (Potaro–Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu–Upper Essequibo) from this year, with the aim of contributing not only to Guyana’s national food security but also to the wider Caribbean region.
He announced that plans are in the pipeline to build out at least 35 additional airstrips in Hinterland communities, which, he noted, would support not only easier movement of residents to the capital but the transport of their perishable goods.
The President made the disclosure at the commissioning of a 2500-foot rigid concrete airstrip in Aishalton in Region Nine earlier today, the second such airstrip in days. The first was a similar project in Paramakatoi on Monday.
After consultations with farmers in the two regions and with agricultural experts, the President noted that the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Agriculture, is aiming in 2026 to produce and transport at least 500,000 pounds of citrus, 50,000 pounds of potatoes, 200,000 pounds of peanuts, one million pounds of carrots, 50,000 pounds of onions, 10,000 pounds of cashew nuts, 150,000 pounds of mangoes, 100,000 pounds of mutton and 200,000 pounds of beef from the two regions.
Already, some 40,000 pounds of mangoes have been transported to Georgetown, and plans are in place to transport another 40,000 pounds in the next two weeks.
“This is what we’re doing, making real investments to bring real wealth into the communities.”
President Ali emphasised that “food security is the most important part of my agenda, food security here and in the Caribbean”.
He said that production in the two regions will increase incrementally in the coming years.
“It will lead to import substitution for our country, it will lead to food sufficiency. It will lead to greater self-reliance in our production system, and it will lead us to build out a production system that is integrated into our transport and logistics system. That is what we are building. That is how these investments are intertwined with each other.”
Airstrips in the hinterland, according to the Head of State, will improve access to health care, reduce the cost of living, expand market opportunities, and create better connectivity. These developments, he noted, will help to diversify the local economy and promote the tourism potential of the picturesque communities.
The Government is also working with airlines to help reduce transportation costs to the regions.
