Livestock farmers receive further boost
-approximately 100 breeding animals distributed

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud on Friday during a simple ceremony spearheaded the distribution of approximately 100 breeding animals, part of the Ministry’s Breed Enhancement Programme to development the livestock industry.
The ceremony which saw the participation of scores of livestock farmers from across the country, was held on the lawns of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
Minister Persaud said that the ongoing exercise is part of Government’s effort to promote greater efficiency in the livestock sector, with the aim of boosting production and productivity to tap into the growing regional and international markets.
“We are the only country within CARICOM that can be considered sufficient in this regard. But we now have to move to the next level and in doing so requires us to make that transformation and changes that we are going through.”
Minister Persaud is however, adamant that with the implementation of hydropower processing can be done, since the market returns would be greater than that of raw and unprocessed meat products.
As significant investments continue to be made to ensure that advanced technologies are implemented within the agriculture sector, the ‘Animal Health Bill’ will be presented to the National Assembly shortly.
The Agriculture Minister stated that this, coupled with the soon to be constructed State-of-the-Art laboratory is part of implementation to modernize the sector.
“Cabinet has also agreed to transfer 10 acres of land at Coldingen for the construction of a state of the art abattoir which would also include a meat processing facility. Our existing facility at Georgetown is inadequate. If we are to become a lead exporter we need to have the type of facility that is certified by both US and European standard,” he said.
In this regard, US$1M has been earmarked for the construction of the facility with assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the private sector.
Genetic stocks such as embryo and semen have been sourced to further complement the programme which has been reaping significant benefits for small and large scale livestock farmers, who have been benefiting over the years.
“Our goal is to have livestock at the level that we have rice and sugar in terms of income and its contribution to national development and opportunities to our people and that is where we are heading in the long term, Minister Persaud lamented.
Chairman of the Board, Patrick DeGroot while encouraging farmers to heed advice from technical officers with respect to proper animal husbandry, said that over the years the Government can boast of having a structured breeding programme.
Government has been fostering the development of the agriculture sector, through the formation of programmes and policies to benefit the lives of its populace.
Chief Executive Officer of the GLDU, Dindyal Permaul; Chief Livestock Officer, Dr. Dwight Waldron and Director of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth were also in attendance.