Seeing Vision 25 x 2025 at Work: Guyana’s Private Sector Investing in Dairy Industry Transformation

“This project has a lot of potential to transform the Guyanese economy and the entire industry within CARICOM. One of the things that I like about the project is the integration of the community and the fact that the community [of Moblissa] is also being included and lifted up. I am also very happy to see today that Vision 25 x 2025 is not just a soundbite, it has underpinned this company’s goal and is part of their overall strategy.”

Assistant Secretary-General (Ag.) Economic Integration, Innovation and Development (EIID), CARICOM Secretariat, Dr Wendell Samuel

Guyana’s new Moblissa Dairy Farm aims to transform the industry through a unique combination of innovation and private sector-community partnership. Supported by several local business entities, the farm’s operations are based on efficient milk production using new technology and ensuring that the community benefits through job creation.

On Sunday, 15 December, officials from the CARICOM Secretariat, led by Assistant Secretary-General (Ag.) Economic Integration, Innovation and Development (EIID), Dr Wendell Samuel participated in a tour of the site for the new dairy farm, one of the transformational agricultural projects implemented in Guyana. This farm is in line with CARICOM’s Vision 25x2025 Initiative, a regional strategy to reduce the Region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

The strategy is a long-term social and economic partnership between CARICOM Member States, the regional private sector, regional organisations, producer groups, development partners and civil society. It outlines actions and critical areas of intervention to tackle the rising food import bill and reduce food insecurity, improve intra-regional trade, and create wealth and economic opportunity for every CARICOM Member State.

According to Dr Samuel, “This project has a lot of potential to transform the Guyanese economy and the entire industry within CARICOM. One of the things that I like about the project is the integration of the community and the fact that the community [of Moblissa] is also being included and lifted up. I am also very happy to see today that Vision 25 x 2025 is not just a soundbite, it has underpinned this company’s goal and is part of their overall strategy.”

Amb. David Prendergast, Director of Sectoral Programmes, stated, “I am impressed with this project. It is good to see Vision 25 x 2025 in practice. Many countries have initiatives that are ongoing or in progress, and what we need to do is connect the dots in the region, which is what the 25 x 2025 Initiative has done. We are using a similar approach for Industrial Policy because all the sectors are interconnected.”

“I am pleased to see this happening and policy moving into practice. A project like this sets the tone and creates the atmosphere and the appetite for other projects to start. This is a model of how the regional private sector can put our money to use…using it to invest to benefit our entire Region,” asserted Shaun Baugh, Programme Manager, Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development.

Members of the diplomatic corps and the private sector also participated in the tour hosted by the Chair of Demerara Distillers Limited, Komal Samaroo.