Zulfikar Mustapha, Guyana's Minister of Agriculture, opened the country's first Farmers' Conference on Monday and said the government wants farmers to take part in shaping agricultural policy. The event, held under the theme "Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana", formed part of Agriculture Month 2026. The account below is drawn from the Minister's address.

Mr Mustapha said the conference exists because farmers raised a problem during his outreach visits. They told him there was no national forum where they could meet and exchange ideas. He said that complaint stayed with him and led to the conference. No farmer is quoted on this, so the origin of the event rests on the Minister's own telling.

His central argument was that the government's plans depend on the people who carry them out. He said the administration has set its direction through its manifesto, the National Development Strategy and the Low-Carbon Development Strategy. These documents, he said, only work if they draw on the experience of those who farm the land, rear livestock, fish and run agribusinesses. He wanted farmers involved in carrying out and refining policy, and not only consulted on it. "We created it because the government alone cannot transform agriculture," he told the audience.

The day was organised around breakout groups. Participants were placed in sessions according to their type of farming and area of expertise, and technical officers from the Ministry of Agriculture helped guide the talks. Mr Mustapha asked attendees not to use the sessions for individual requests, saying separate channels exist for those. The aim, he said, was to collect ideas and recommendations for a national action plan. The room included representatives of large enterprises, small start-ups, farming organisations and cooperatives, many with decades of experience.

The Minister acknowledged that farming is hard. He spoke of long working days, difficult conditions and the sacrifices producers make to keep their operations going. He said farmers would continue to receive government attention and support. He gave no specific measures, and the article cannot report any commitment beyond that statement.

Mr Mustapha also addressed women and young people in the sector. The conference coincided with the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and he asked the women farmers present to stand so that the Ministry could thank them. He said youth participation matters if agriculture is to remain a source of opportunity for future generations.

He then turned to President Irfaan Ali. Mr Mustapha said the President's work on food security, climate resilience and agricultural change has drawn regional and international recognition. He cited a 2023 award from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture and, more recently, the Caribbean Global Leader Award. In the Minister's view, these honours reflect the President's focus on agriculture and food security in Guyana and across the Caribbean. That assessment is his own.

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