Guyana to produce livestock vaccines – agri minister

Last Updated on Wednesday, 6 November 2024, 22:05 by Writer

Guyana will soon begin the production of livestock vaccines for local and regional supply, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha announced at an international conference in Uruguay.

He said that as a solution to create a more sustainable pathway for animal healthcare, Guyana would commence the production of vaccines for all livestock through a public-private partnership (PPP). No details were provided about the name of the company and when production would begin.

“In 2023, we purchased $29 million worth of vaccines to support our farmers. Now, we will build a facility in Guyana to produce all the vaccines needed for Guyana and the CARICOM region via a public-private partnership,” he told the November 5-6 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Sustainable Livestock Transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

He also said collaboration with international organizations has helped with strengthening Guyana’s disease surveillance and response capacity. “Additionally, our partnership with international organizations has strengthened our capacity for disease surveillance and response, enabling us to quickly address emerging threats to livestock health. By fostering strong partnerships and leveraging our collective strengths, we can address the shared challenges facing the livestock sector and build a future that benefits our farmers, our communities, and our environment,” he said.

The two-day conference was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, as a follow-up to recommendations made during FAO’s Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation which was held in Rome, Italy, in September 2023.

The main objective of the conference was to provide a neutral space for countries and stakeholders to share successful experiences, actions and initiatives that contribute to the sustainable transformation of livestock farming in Latin America and the Caribbean.