President Dr. Irfaan Ali is in Belize on a three-day State Visit, where he is leading discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation. During a Special Sitting of Belize’s Parliament, Guyana’s Head of State outlined plans for Guyana and Belize to take the lead in advancing food security across the Caribbean.

He said Guyana and Belize must lead efforts to reduce the Caribbean’s food import bill by 25 percent by 2030, as climate change, supply chain disruptions and rising food prices continue to threaten small states.

“Belize and Guyana must lead in a food security of this region. And when we make this investment, human, financial and technological investment, the region must in turn have a fair trade system in which our produce and production is not subjected to the bureaucracy of the system or is not subjected to artificial barriers of trade that affect this region,” he said.

The President also called for the removal of trade barriers that limit the free movement of Caribbean agricultural produce, arguing that regional farmers deserve fair access to markets. He further emphasized the importance of modernizing agriculture through strategic partnerships, pointing to Brazil as a key partner in adopting new technology, improved genetics and climate-resilient farming systems.

“As we adopt new technology and look at expanding our food system, it is important that we look at what Brazil is doing, the systems, the technology, the genetics that they’re investing in. It’s a low-hanging fruit. We have to embrace these changes if we are to be more resilient, sustainable, creating higher yield crops, more resilient to diseases and pests. Guyana is ready to not only support this journey of Belize but to walk in partnership with you,” the Guyanese leader emphasised.

President Ali said Guyana stands ready to work alongside Belize and other Caribbean nations as CARICOM pushes toward its target of reducing the region’s food import bill by 25 percent by 2030.

On Monday, the governments of Guyana and Belize also reaffirmed their longstanding friendship and shared Caribbean values through the conclusion of a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas of mutual interest.

These MoUs establish frameworks for collaboration in a range of areas, including defence and
security cooperation, education and skills development, tourism development, and economic engagement.