Dear Editor,
It is with great contentment that I listened to the Press Conference held by His Excellency in Berbice on Friday, November 21, 2025, as he outlined some of our government’s policy positions to build a better Guyana. I was particularly delighted to hear of the specific focus on the transformation set to occur in our agricultural sector, especially in the area of agrarian reforms, which should produce greater access for those who are the real producers. I believe this vision holds significant potential not only for our nation but also can foster sustainable partnerships on the global stage, particularly in the context of reducing the food import bill within the Caribbean region by 25% by 2030.
Guyana’s agricultural foundation lies in its fertile coastal lowlands, enriched by the vast, untapped potential of our Intermediate and Rupununi Savannahs. The convergence of advanced technology and proactive governance now allows us to view these lands as a cornerstone for national prosperity and regional food security. The history books cannot forget the programmes between 1960-1964, under the then Premiership of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, to settle landless and unemployed people on state-owned lands in place like Black Bush Polder, on the Essequibo Coast, in West Berbice and other places. The primary goal was to create a class of independent farmers and reduce unemployment.
However, as in everything he tried to do, Dr. Jagan was deliberately undermined by greater forces who sought to starve his government of the necessary finances to put in adequate infrastructures and build the cadre of Guyanese to establish a world class extension service to stimulate and unleash the full potential of these lands. During the Forbes Burham era, there was also an attempt to build out a co-operative system and the state acquired some areas of private land for redistribution, often targeting unused or underutilized lands from private estates. Of course these matters were frustrated when they were challenged in the Courts but also most of the co-operatives established failed since they were plagued by mismanagement, lack of investment, and political interference.
Thus these visionary announcements by His Excellency, President Ali, have historical foundations that are pregnant with untapped potential just wanting to be unleashed by catalyzing and advancing a comprehensive programme of agrarian reform. Well the announcement was made and the action plan is in progress. This initiative is designed to unlock this potential by ensuring that land is accessible to those who will actually cultivate it, rather than rewarding those who are land grabbers. The core objective is to bring thousands of acres of arable land into active use, replacing historical patterns of underutilization with vibrant, value-added agricultural production (agro-processing, vertical agriculture, climatically controlled agriculture in shade houses, etc.).
This modern reform programme is strategically designed to overcome legacies of the past. Its key pillars include:
· Clearing Administrative Backlogs: Resolving long-standing application delays to provide certainty to farmers and investors.
· Regularising Land Tenure: Granting legal security to real farmers on lands tied to historically defunct systems where the title holder is either deceased and his ancestors are not even living or interested in Guyana.
· Expanding the Agricultural Frontier: Systematically developing new acreages for diverse and large-scale agricultural pursuits as we finally put into action one of the greatest visions for Guyana’s economic upliftment – “the Jagdeo Initiative” (we must all read this mandatory document on moving Guyana forward).
· Enhancing Institutional Efficiency: Deploying specialised teams and digital technology to make land administration transparent and efficient.
This initiative is not just a domestic policy—it is a strategic pivot to make Guyana a global leader in sustainable food production. The plan combines agro-processing, climate-resilient techniques, and knowledge partnerships to position Guyana as a key food supplier for the Caribbean and beyond. By learning from global best practices, Guyana is realising its ambition of being an efficient, future-ready agricultural producer.
As the non-resident Ambassador of Guyana to the Netherlands, I continue to see significant opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration, particularly drawing on the world-renowned expertise of the Netherlands in water management, agricultural technology, and logistics. Currently there is a trade mission heading to the Netherlands to do exactly this – collaborate, connect and contract. This delegation of private sector business leaders, coordinated by GO-Invest and the European Union with support from the Embassy of Guyana based in Brussels will be meeting many stakeholders including the private sector in Europe. However most importantly they will be meeting with top food production researchers at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands.
Editor, for far too long, our farmers have been entangled in a web of bureaucratic red tape, land titling backlogs, and legal ambiguities, particularly within the defunct co-operative societies. The announcement of this comprehensive plan by His Excellency on November 21, 2025, will cut through this Gordian knot and is precisely the kind of decisive action needed to unleash the full productive power of our agricultural sector. This bold reform deserves the full support of every Guyanese who values empowerment, productivity, and equity. Our long-term prosperity depends not on oil, but on transforming Guyana into a powerhouse in value-added food production, using proven strategies that are already in place like the Kingdom of the Netherlands.