President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in just four years as President of Guyana, has already accumulated a multitude of prestigious international awards. Below I have listed a few that I could remember at the top of my head. There might be others that I have not listed. But one thing is certain – by the time he completes his tenure as President of Guyana, there will be many, many more awards. He joins Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Mrs. Cheddi Jagan and Bharat Jagdeo as among the most decorated Presidents of Guyana and among the most awarded heads of state for the Region. While awarded for his overall leadership, he has become a global leader admired for his world-class leadership in food security.
His fight for food security in Guyana, CARICOM and around the world is not the first time a world-leader has taken on food security as a major focus for their leadership. But no leader has succeeded as much as President Irfaan Ali in inspiring the world to mobilize in a global effort to end hunger and to ensure nutritional security. In Guyana, it has led to new crops being introduced and becoming potential for new exports from Guyana. In CARICOM, in less than four years, the 25 X 25 Food Security Initiative which many had denounced as a “pipe” dream has had remarkable progress leading to more than 15% reduction in food imports from outside the CARICOM region.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been honored with the Caribbean Global Leader Award for 2024.He received the prestigious accolade last Saturday during the Caribbean Global Awards ceremony in London. President Ali was recognized for his unwavering dedication and leadership, particularly for his leadership on food security. Earlier, in January 2024, President Ali was recognized by the Ghana-based African Prosperity Network (APN) and bestowed with the Global Africa Leadership Award. The award was conferred on HE on January 26 when the President of Ghana hosted the prestigious Africa Prosperity Champions Awards and Presidential Gala Dinner in Accra, Ghana, as part of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2024. President Ali delivered the keynote address to the forum on January 27th.
In April 2024, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali received the Legacy Award from the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI). He was given the award on April 18, 2024 at the AFUWI’s 2024 Annual Awards Gala in New York City.Guyanese American actress CCH Pounder presented Ali with the award.Prior to presenting Ali with the award, she praised him for his “commitment to nation building and the prosperity of Guyana. Your legacy will be one that future generations can build on,” she stated.In his acceptance speech, the president said he owes his success to the people of Guyana “whose resilience and generosity of spirit have inspired me to dedicate myself to a career in public service.”
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali was conferred with the Order of Freedom of Barbados on November 29, 2023, one of 35 people, who received awards as part of Barbados’ 57thIndependence Day celebrations.The Order of Freedom of Barbados, which is an honorary award, is given to distinguished non-Barbadians for their service to Barbados, the Caribbean, the Caribbean Diaspora or humanity at large.Barbados’ Government Information Service (GIS) said Ali received the award: “In recognition of his strong commitment to enhance cooperation and collaboration to achieve regional integration and to foster deeper social and economic partnerships particularly in relation to Food and Nutrition Security and for the upliftment of the people of Barbados and the region.”
In October 2023, President Ali received IICA’s award for his Leadership in Food Security and Sustainable Development. He was in Costa Rica where he addressed the forum on global agriculture from the perspective of the Americas and Caribbean Region.IICA said the decision to award President Ali was in recognition of his leadership in agricultural transformation, food security, and support for building resilient economies in a sustainable manner in Guyana and the Caribbean.IICA had said in its announcement that the President’s support and commitment to public agendas related to issues such as regional integration, rural connectivity, social inclusion in the countryside and gender equality, all of which are central areas of IICA’s work, were also considered for the presentation of this award.The Head-of-State is the institute’s first awardee in this category.
Guyanese were proud when President Irfaan Ali, in January 2023, received the highest honor conferred on overseas Indians – the PravasiBharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) – for the year 2023.President Ali joined 26 other persons of Indian origin/non-resident Indians who were recognized by the Government of India for their outstanding achievements both in India and abroad.
It is no wonder that on September 13, 2023, he was invited to be part of the Inter-American Dialogue. As Head 0f State for the fastest-growing economy in the world, a significant player in the global energy market, and a regional leader in areas such as food security, climate and environmental security and energy security, President Ali joined Inter-American Dialogue President & CEO, Dr. Rebecca Chavez, for a conversation regarding the US-Guyana bilateral relationship. He was chosen to be part of the dialogue because he has inspired peoples throughout the Americas and the world in sustainable development, but, particularly for showing the world that food security is attainable and that the SDG goals to end hunger and to secure nutritional security are possible.
As an example of his leadership on food security, the development in the rice sector in Guyana is notable. The Ministry of Agriculture has, through the GRDB, been spreading awareness of a new variety of paddy seed this past week, the GRDB 14-10. This new strain promises higher yields, greater disease-resistance, and enhanced nutritional benefits. G-14-10 variety was developed through combination of a breeding line from Colombia with local Guyanese stock. The research team that developed the new variety was led by a West Coast Berbice-based scientist, Dr. Mahendra Persaud. Extensive research at the Burma Rice Research Center and in farmers’ plots demonstrated that the variety provides high yield, potentially producing over nine tons per hectare, and is tougher and faster maturing than other varieties, such as GRDB 10 and 16. Additionally, the GRDB 14-10 can have delayed harvesting for up to 16 days without losing yields.
The above is an example of the evidence-based and scientific principles President Ali has been pushing in Guyana. Rice is a good example of how evidence-based science has been used to transform an industry. This year, Guyana is on track to finally surpass the annual production of 700,000 tons of rice.
I had set this target for 2020 when I was Minister of Agriculture. In 2014, leaving out rice production at Santa Fe (Region 9), Guyana produced 698,000 tons, almost reaching the 2020 target six years ahead of time. But the 2015-2020 period proved disastrous. In the first crop of 2015, Guyana had reached close to 400,000 tons, well on the way to reaching the 700,000 tons’ target. But then the PNC-led APNU/AFC took over, and the second crop was a total failure and Guyana barely reached 600,000 tons, almost 100,000 tons less than in 2014. It is likely that, weather permitting, Guyana could reach 800,000 tons in 2025.
Considering that in 1990, Guyana could not produce 100,000 tons, and that in the late 1990s, we were able to consistently reach 250,000 tons, reaching 700,000 tons is testimony to prudent and sound policies based on science.
Between 2010 and today, Guyana has introduced 10 new varieties of paddy seed, introducing a new variety every 18 months or every three crops. These varieties are higher-yielding, hardier, more resistant to environmental stress, and are even more nutritious. From one-to-one-and-one-half tons per hectare in the 1970s, Guyana is now capable of yielding 9 tons per hectare. With other innovations, like drone-spreading of pesticides, drone-sowing of paddy seeds, and laser-levelling of land, Guyana can increase production even more. Because the PPP government believes in science and utilizes evidence-based policies, Guyana is likely to reach one million tons of rice by 2030 with the same acreage of land.
This is what science can do. Increased production of rice and other agricultural produce is not accidental; science and evidence-based programs are causing a dramatic production in aquaculture. We see it with brackish shrimp and with caged-marine fishing. Aqua and mariculture are adding to Guyana’s food security by increasing the production of fish and shrimp. It is why Guyana’s agriculture production has been increasing, and why we have added new crops such as soya, millet, red beans, etc.
By 2026, Guyana would eliminate the importation of corn and soya. This would preserve more than US$50M of import costs. But by 2028, Guyana would also be exporting new produce, such as corn, soya, millet and red beans. The cost of production for stockfeed would be lowered, and Guyana could become competitive with the US for supplying poultry products to other Caricom countries.
Vision and science-led policies are transforming the agriculture sector. It is why President Ali’s 25 X 25 food security initiative has already been hailed around the world as a resounding success. But we must note that the initiative is not just food security; it is a food and nutrition security initiative. In this regard, science has led to Guyana producing mineral-fortified rice, such as zinc-fortified rice that provides more nutrition.
It is this science-led approach that would see Guyana being a leader when the Biodiversity Alliance is launched in Guyana soon. And hopefully, Guyana can take the lead in creating a world-class germplasm center.