President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, who has lead responsibility for the sector, said in an interview with reporters yesterday at Hilton Barbados, where the four-day meeting is being held, that a strategy had been devised to move it forward.

"We've managed to put together a comprehensive strategy for the development of agriculture from a production perspective.

"In the past we've always focused on studies in the sector to guide our trade negotiators to regain preferences. But what we have done now, we have a comprehensive strategy that hopefully, if implemented, and we intend to implement it, will do two things.

"One, it will create regional food security and that is important for our region – we import some $3 billion of foodstuff into the region. This represents a lot of investment opportunities, jobs to our people, low cost of living, and also better nutrition."

Jagdeo added that Barbados' Prime Minister Owen Arthur was supportive of the move and noted that the agricultural sector could complement services. (DS)