President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali recently unveiled a new series of sustainable and profitable agro-business ventures aimed at improving the livelihoods of young Guyanese. During a meeting on Tuesday with over 40 youths from Region Five, the president outlined an ambitious plan focused on poultry, aquaculture, and cattle rearing, as part of the government’s broader efforts to boost youth entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.
The meeting, held at the Park Square Funcity Recreation Centre in Mahaicony, also saw participation from representatives of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Demerara Bank, and several agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture. President Ali highlighted the government’s commitment to providing five acres of land for youth involvement under the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme.
Additionally, the president offered the youth opportunities to join various projects, including the Onverwagt Prawns initiative or other emerging agricultural ventures in the region. He emphasized the potential returns from these projects, stating, “The value these lands will create is immense. For example, three tunnel homes could generate $150 million. We want some of you to be assigned to the prawns production facility and others to focus on tunnel house farming.”
These ventures are set to thrive through strong public-private partnerships, with banks ready to offer loans at preferential interest rates. The president also encouraged the young entrepreneurs to pool their resources for greater investment potential. “If ten of you collectively have $5 million, you can leverage that to build your businesses,” he said.
This initiative is part of the government’s strategy to transform Guyana’s youth into successful agro-entrepreneurs, contributing to the country’s growing agricultural and food sectors. Several participants expressed enthusiasm about the new opportunities, including Chandan Rampersaud, who has been in the poultry business for six years. He noted that the meeting was highly informative and would help him grow as a business owner.
Dason Langevine, another attendee, shared his struggles in finding sustainable markets for his poultry produce but was optimistic about the government’s efforts to create storage and agro-processing facilities while tapping into lucrative global markets, such as halal products. “I’m glad President Ali came to speak with us. There are many ways we can make money and become self-employed, especially in poultry farming, which is crucial for our country,” Langevine said.
Lily Chan also praised the outreach, particularly the support from GBTI and Demerara Bank, noting that access to financing has been a major hurdle for many young agro-entrepreneurs.
The event featured remarks from Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, CEO of the Guyana Livestock Development Agency Dr. Dwight Walrond, and Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture Madanlall Ramraj, all of whom highlighted the region’s potential for significant agricultural growth.
This engagement follows similar meetings with young people from Regions Three and Four, as the government continues its mission to empower youth through agro-business and economic development.
