The Guyana Ministry of Agriculture and the CDF host a Project Start-Up Workshop for the recently approved Agricultural and Infrastructural Development Programme (AIDP)

The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) and Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture hosted a Project Start-Up Workshop in Georgetown on July 28-29 to officially launch the AIDP.

The Workshop brought together over 25 technical representatives from the lead Executing Agency – The Agriculture Sector Development Unit – as well as The Guyana Livestock Development Authority, The New Guyana Marketing Corporation, The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, Hope Coconut Industries and the Ministry of Finance. The workshop was aimed at ensuring all participants had a common understanding of the
AIDP’s:

objectives, outcomes and planned impact.
legal and policy framework for implementation.
roles and responsibilities of the oversight agencies.
tools to manage quality, focus on results and sustainability during implementation.
reporting and accountability frameworks.

The AIDP – financed mainly by a US$15.0 million concessionary loan from the CDF – will support Guyana’s food security programme, export readiness of selected crops and livestock:

boosting farm productivity, output, and value-added for peanut, coffee, cocoa and honey.
constructing a facility – compliant with good food safety and health practices – for swine slaughter, preparation and processing.
enhancing fruit and vegetable quality by effective control of the Carambola Fruit Fly.
facilitating a more sustainable expansion of the coconut industry by increasing the volume of coconut waste that is recycled.
training of extension officers.

These activities taken together will positively impact on famers’ incomes. The AIDP is CDF’s third consecutive intervention in Guyana’s agriculture sector accounting for an aggregate investment of US$35.15 million over three funding cycles.