Guyana, which has lead responsibility for agriculture, agricultural diversification, and food security within the quasi Caribbean Community (CARICOM) cabinet, says it is making remarkable progress in developing a regional brand of mutton through its Black Belly Sheep programme.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has told a visiting Barbados delegation headed by that country’s Minister of Agriculture and Food and Nutritional Security, Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, that since the project was launched in March 2022 , significant progress has been made, with the national herd exceeding 3,000.
“I know one of the main areas we have to discuss is the progress of the Black Belly Sheep programme. In August 2022, we received the first tranche of sheep, totalling 131. We later received three other sets. The second tranche totalled 342, the third, 234, and the fourth, 293. To date, we’ve increased the stock to over 3,000,” Mustapha explained.
He also noted that the cross-breeding component of the initiative has commenced as the government advances its efforts to develop a regional brand aimed at reducing the importation of mutton from New Zealand.
Recently, the first offspring—nicknamed “Ruth”—was born at the headquarters of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and Mustapha said this is in keeping with CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 + 5” Initiative, which seeks to reduce the regional food import bill by 25 per cent by the end of 2030.
As part of the initiative, the GLDA is also implementing an ongoing programme through which 60 farmers have each benefitted from five-acre production plots. These plots will function as controlled small-ruminant production units dedicated to the rearing and finishing of sheep under the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Project.
To date, 54 farmers have been allocated their respective plots and are expected to commence production by the second quarter of 2026.
Mustapha said this structured approach is expected to generate several strategic outcomes.
“First, it will contribute to the development of a standardised sheep production model that can be replicated across other regions. Second, the concentration of finishing operations will enhance supply chain efficiency, thus facilitating coordinated slaughter, processing, and distribution systems.
“Third, by producing consistent, high-quality lamb and mutton, the initiative will strengthen the reliability of domestic supply while positioning Guyana to capitalise on emerging regional and extra-regional export opportunities,” he explained.
He said that one core objective of the project is to increase local mutton production to over 7,000 tonnes by the end of year five and to reduce the regional importation bill by 25 per cent.
The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Project in Guyana represents a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the livestock sector, enhancing regional food security, and expanding economic opportunities for farmers.
The project, launched by the Guyana government in collaboration with the Barbados government and forms part of a broader regional effort to reduce reliance on imported meat products and to develop a sustainable sheep production industry within the Caribbean. (CMC)
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