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A new study in Nature Food says Guyana is the only one out of 186 countries that can fully feed its people without importing food. This means Guyana grows enough food to meet all its nutritional needs.
Guyana is leading the Caribbean effort to cut food imports through the CARICOM plan called “Vision 25 by 2025.”
How is Guyana doing it?
The government has heavily invested in farming since 2020. Money spent on agriculture has gone up by nearly 470%.
Rice
In 2025, the government set aside GY$430.9 million for rice farming. The country now produces 152,000 seed bags each year to meet growing demand.
Livestock and Fish
The Broiler Breeder Project gave 167,000 hatching eggs and helped over 5,500 farmers. The Mon Repos aquaculture station grew to 14 acres. Fish landing sites in five regions were upgraded at a cost of GY$300 million.
The livestock sector got GY$1.7 billion. In 2024, it grew by 24.6%, with more chickens, pigs, cows, and milk. Better breeding and disease control helped a lot. Fish farming also grew by 13.7%.
Beekeeping
Beekeepers got 500 hives. Honey output jumped from 2,600 gallons in 2023 to nearly 30,000 in 2024.
Corn and Soya
In 2023, 10,000 acres were used for corn and soybeans. By 2025, this should rise to 25,000 acres, with crops planted twice a year. The government put GY$1.2 billion into new roads and other support.
Farmer Support
Taxes were removed from farming machines. A fertiliser program gives one bag per acre to help farmers grow more.
Legumes
The government plans to use 1,000 acres to grow red beans and black-eyed peas by the end of 2025. Right now, 77 farmers are growing red beans on 663 acres. Each acre could produce 1,600 pounds of beans, aiming for a total of 1.6 million pounds.
Coffee.
Guyana does not currently produce large amounts of coffee, and it is not known as a major coffee-growing country like Brazil or Colombia. However, coffee is grown in small quantities, mostly by small-scale farmers in the highland areas such as the Pakaraima Mountains in the interior.
There have been recent efforts to revive coffee farming in Guyana, especially with interest in specialty and organic varieties that can grow well in the country’s upland tropical regions. But most of the coffee consumed in Guyana is imported.
So while Guyana can grow coffee, and does grow some, it is not yet self-sufficient in coffee production.
Baby food.
Guyana does not have a large-scale domestic baby food industry, and most baby food products are imported. Local stores typically carry imported brands of baby formula, pureed fruits, cereals, and jarred meals from the United States, Europe, or Latin America.
However, here’s what is happening locally:
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The exclusive breastfeeding rate (meaning no other food or drink is given for the first 6 months) in Guyana has varied over the years but is often reported around 50–60%, which is relatively high by global standards.
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The Ministry of Health actively promotes breastfeeding through public health campaigns, especially in rural and low-income areas.
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However, in more urban areas, or among wealthier families, breastfeeding may be shorter, and formula is sometimes introduced earlier.
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Milk—especially powdered milk—is commonly used in infant feeding, often mixed with cereals.
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Some parents in rural or lower-income areas prepare homemade baby food from local produce like pumpkin, plantains, cassava, rice, and fruits. These are mashed or blended for weaning infants.
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There are local initiatives to promote nutrition, but they usually focus on encouraging home-prepared food rather than producing packaged baby food.
So, while Guyana may be self-sufficient in many areas of agriculture, when it comes to commercial baby food, it does still relies heavily on imports.
Youth Involvement
Young people are a big part of the farming plan. The Agriculture Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme has helped many become farm business owners. It has funded more than 200 shade houses to grow vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli.
Between 2020 and 2025, Guyana’s farming sector has grown steadily. Smart investments and policies have helped it succeed. As the world struggles with food issues, Guyana stands out as a model for others.
Being self-sufficient in food only means that a country can feed itself without imports and not starve. It does not mean that all foods are grown at home. For example Guyana does not grow olive oil, apples, and grapes, or make wine. So why you might be able to eat home-grown pork in Guyana, you will have to import the apple sauce!
Source: Guyana DPI.
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