FAO in Guyana
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 194 members - 193 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
Guyana became a member of FAO in 1966 and has since maintained a long standing partnership. It is the only English-speaking country in South America and one of the most culturally diverse nations in the Caribbean region. Covering approximately 83,000 square miles, Guyana’s landscape features expansive rainforests, rolling savannahs, vast river systems, fertile agricultural plains and a rich variety of biodiversity.
Guyana is divided into ten administrative regions, with Georgetown serving as the capital and principal commercial centre. Most of the population resides along the narrow coastal belt, where the country’s major economic activities are concentrated.
The population of Guyana reflects a unique blend of cultures and ethnicities, including people of African, East Indian, Indigenous, European, Chinese and Portuguese descent. This rich cultural heritage is reflected in the country’s traditions, cuisine, languages and festivals.
Agriculture plays a central role in Guyana’s economy and remains a major source of employment and rural livelihoods. The country’s fertile coastal plains support the cultivation of rice and sugar, two of Guyana’s traditional export commodities. Other important agricultural products include soya bean and corn, coconuts, fruits, vegetables, cassava, plantains and livestock. Guyana is also internationally recognized for its extensive fisheries resources and growing agro-processing sector.
Recognized as a regional leader in agriculture, agricultural diversification and food security within the Caribbean Community Quasi-Cabinet, President Irfaan Ali holds lead responsibility for advancing the region’s agricultural and food security agenda.
Since the commencement of oil and gas production in 2020, Guyana has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Rapid economic expansion has created new opportunities for infrastructure development, investment and diversification across several sectors. However, agriculture remains central to national food security, poverty reduction and sustainable rural development. Guyana continues to prioritize investment in agriculture, climate resilience, food production and value-added industries to ensure balanced and inclusive economic growth.
Guyana is also recognized globally for its strong commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action through its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. The LCDS framework promotes low-carbon economic growth while protecting the country’s vast forest resources, which store significant amounts of carbon and contribute to global climate stability. Through the LCDS initiative, Guyana aims to expand sustainable forestry, renewable energy, biodiversity conservation and climate-resilient agriculture while supporting economic opportunities for local and Indigenous communities.
FAO continues to support the country’s priorities in agriculture, climate resilience, food production and value-added industries to strengthen economic diversification and improve livelihoods across the country to ensure Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and Better Life, Leaving no one Behind.
FAO Guyana Office Contact Details
Representative: Dr. Gillian Smith
Location: Agriculture Complex, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara
Telephone: +592 227 3149
Email: [email protected]