Food Processing in Guyana

The Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) initiative with three of Canada’s premier experts in food safety and agro-processing, Yvon Bertrand, Brian McKay and Martin Gooch, are working collaboratively with the Government of Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture. The work supports the development of the fruit agro-processing sector in Guyana, focusing on providing technical assistance in supply chain management, market research, and product development. 

TAP is pleased to share a few key highlights from the Canadian Experts who recently travelled to Guyana in April 2023.

The Canadian TDV Global team conducted an exploratory mission to Guyana earlier in January. This technical assistance initiative aims to:​

• Assist farmers to benefit from an integrated viable system;​
• Increase know-how for innovative technologies; and​
• Increase managerial capacity, marketing skills and access to market. ​

Training was delivered to producers and processors of vegetables for juicing and green seasonings, included good processing practices held at the facility built by the Ministry of Agriculture in Fort Wellington. Key elements of this diagnostic mission included value chain mapping with current structure, key activities and actors; identifying obstacles, challenges and barriers of small-medium farmers to become agro-processors. There were approximately 80 people in attendance. (1 – photo credit)

First work trip in 3 years after working virtually and it feels good to be back face to face. The team was deployed in Guyana to deliver food safety training for the Guyana Marketing Corporation for their Agro-processing centres under the Global Affairs Canada TAP-EDM projects. Thanks to the Canadian High Commissioner Mark Berman and Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Ms. Delmanett for getting the experts started for this 2-week mission. – Brian McKay, TDV Global, April 2023

During the first week of the second mission, Brian McKay and Yvon Bertrand, offered a “Train the Trainers approach’’ on Good Manufacturing Practices and how they can be implemented in agro-processing facilities in Guyana, delivered to the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) representatives and Food and Drugs Inspector. Brian and Yvon, along with two new trainees from the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) headed from Georgetown to White Water for the Morning Glory Women Cooperative training. Both trainees did very well in providing instructions to the employees and ensuring feedback.

In the local makeshift classrooms with management and employees of the Helping Hands Women Cooperative, we offered training for a peanut butter and hot pepper factory in St. Ignatius. One of the new trainers Renee Benjamin from GMC did an excellent job of educating the students on food safety principles.

After completing the second trip to Guyana, Brian and Yvon observed how much interest there was from the local partners for this type of technical expertise. Approximately 35 women and 10 men received Food Safety training and they are very pleased that 4 people (3 women and 1 man) were trained as trainers and will continue to help deliver workshops while working directly with the food plant employees. For more information on the TAP initiative: Development Support for Agro-Processing in Guyana

Global Affairs Canada’s Technical Assistance Partnership-Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM), implemented by Alinea International, contributes to enhancing the capacity of national-level institutions to manage policies and practices in a more gender-responsive and inclusive way; promoting social, political, and economic opportunities in partner countries; and increasing awareness and engagement of Canadians as partners and global citizens in support of Canada’s international assistance efforts.