The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), on Wednesday hosted the Project Completion Exit Workshop for the Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme (SADP) at the World Trade Centre in Georgetown.
Through the programme, more than 6,000 farmers benefited from improved technology, equipment, and training, while over 200 extension officers received capacity-building support to strengthen the delivery of agricultural services.
The workshop aimed to assess the project’s results against its development objectives, identify key successes, innovations, challenges, and sustainability considerations that emerged during implementation, and capture lessons to guide the design and execution of future projects.
Addressing participants, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the programme represented an important partnership between the Government of Guyana and the IDB for the benefit of the country’s people.
He said SADP had achieved its objectives of helping farmers improve productivity and livelihoods, while also strengthening agricultural institutions and modernising the systems that support the sector.
“Over the years, the Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme has supported the broader policy commitments outlined in our PPP/C Government’s manifestos and reflected in our national budgets. It represents a key partnership between the Government of Guyana and the Inter-American Development Bank, working together to benefit the people. Since assuming office, our government has consistently placed agriculture at the forefront of the nation’s growth. We have invested substantial resources in strengthening extension services, providing farmers with essential tools and inputs, and upgrading drainage and irrigation systems,” Minister Mustapha said.
He added that the programme had also helped modernise Guyana’s agricultural sector and promote sustainable development.
“The SADP clearly achieved its objectives of assisting farmers to enhance their productivity and improve their livelihoods. It has also strengthened our agricultural institutions and modernised the systems that guide the sector in Guyana. The programme not only addresses output growth but also promotes the sustainable use of our natural resources. Guyana is setting an example by demonstrating that we can fulfil our global obligations to the Sustainable Development Goals while simultaneously advancing agriculture, empowering our people and protecting the environment,” the minister noted.
Mustapha also highlighted improvements in agricultural data systems as one of the programme’s key achievements. These include upgrades to the Agriculture Information System and the completion of agricultural surveys to improve data management and support evidence-based policymaking.
Meanwhile, IDB Country Representative Lorena Solórzano-Salazar said the project was fully aligned with the government’s vision for the agriculture sector and described it as one of the most successful initiatives funded by the bank in Guyana.
“These are not isolated interventions. Together, they reflect a broader vision of a sector that is better-informed, better-equipped, institutionally stronger, and more responsive to the needs of farmers, consumers, and markets. It is also 100% aligned with the vision of the Government of Guyana and the 25 by 2030 Strategy. One of the important contributions of the programme has been the strengthening of the agricultural data and information system. Data is critical for decision-making. The data generated under this project has been digitised and is being utilised within the AIS,” she said.
Under the programme, more than 200 extension officers and 6,000 farmers received training, along with agricultural technology packages that have since been adopted on farms across the country.
