By Saskia Warrick
Guyana’s innovative Shade House Programme has demonstrated remarkable resilience, even in the face of natural disasters.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha shared this positive update in an interview with NCN.
Launched in 2022, the Shade House Programme has significantly boosted agricultural productivity in Guyana, yielding high-value crops and attracting interest from regional partners, including Barbados, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago.
This regional success story has contributed to a 25% reduction in the food import bill in the Caribbean.
Minister Mustapha revealed that Hurricane Beryl, which recently affected Grenada, posed a significant threat to the agricultural sector.
Despite the storm’s impact, Guyana’s Climate Smart Shade Houses in Grenada remained intact and operational.
The resilience of the Shade House Programme is seen as a testament to its effectiveness in climate-smart agriculture practices.
In response to the hurricane’s damage, a regional plan is being developed to assist in rebuilding the agricultural industries of the affected islands.
Initial damage estimates indicate that the hurricane caused tens of millions of dollars in losses, impacting investments, infrastructure, crops, and livelihoods.
To support recovery efforts, Guyana is seeking assistance from development partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).