GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The agricultural industry in Guyana will soon be receiving technical assistance from their counterparts in Cuba following the recent signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU, which was signed by Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Delma Nedd, and Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Jorge Francisco Soberón Luis at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Saturday morning, provides a framework for cooperation in the areas of agriculture to include vegetable products, livestock and animal products, beekeeping, forestry, and other areas.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Delma Nedd, and Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Jorge Francisco Soberón Luis Ramraj said Guyana has several hectares of undeveloped land which offers enormous potential for beekeeping and the apiculture sector, which he says will help Guyana meet the 25 by 2025 initiative, by increasing its honey production for Guyana to become an exporter of honey in Caribbean Community (Caricom).

“Guyana’s forest has a great potential for apiculture, if exploited, it can create employment and sustainable income for the population residing in the hinterland areas…I look forward to the fruitful collaboration between our countries as we actively develop our agriculture sector to greater food security,” Ramraj noted.

Guyana is forging ahead with the transformation of the region’s agricultural food systems towards full commercialisation, and is forming partnerships with nations that possess some of the greatest agricultural methods.

Ramraj said the country will soon sign a technical assistance agreement with the Cuban Company, CATEC- Labiofam, to boost the honey industry in Guyana.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Luis said the signing of the MoU is an important step towards advancing food security and food production in the region.

“As both leaders of Cuba and Guyana have stated, we should join efforts and forces to make our capabilities come together to strengthen our production and our technical assistance,” he said.

Ambassador Luis stressed that Guyana has a leading role to play in food security and production within the Caricom.

“Cuba is making that contribution in that area…we are certain that we are going to achieve higher results by working together to make our technical and production capacities achieve bigger and better results,” Luis added.

Ramraj and Luis both said Guyana and Cuba have enjoyed cordial relations for a long time