GUYANA has, over the past few years, maintained steady progress towards implementing the much touted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, especially in the areas of reducing hunger, increasing access to social services and benefits, empowering women and achieving environmental sustainability.

Guyana’s prospect in achieving the MDGs, depend on sustained economic growth and its effect on household income, revenue generation and public expenditure outlays, among other things.

But the current high food prices, which also is affecting other CARICOM countries and the world at large, may put this country’s efforts at risk, President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Friday.

He made the observation during a press conference and subsequent launch at the CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, of the Regional Agri-Business Investment Forum to be held on June 6 and 7 next, here in Georgetown and under the theme “Investing in our future: Agri Business is Good Business.

The forum is aimed at providing potential investors and financial institutions with information on changes in global and regional markets and in agro industry systems which could mean business opportunities for the Caribbean.

Participation is expected from investors and fund managers seeking solid investment projects, banking executives, other financiers, agro-business entrepreneurs wishing to network with potential partners, regional and international agency officials involved in developing and financing agricultural projects and others.

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions.

They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.

The eight MDGs are:
** Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
** Achieve universal primary education
** Promote gender equality and empower women
** Reduce child mortality
** Improve maternal health
** Combat HIV/AIDS, maternal health and other diseases
** Ensure environmental sustainability
** Develop a global partnership for development
Since their establishment in 2000, the Millennium Development Goals have become a universally shared framework for development.

They are a means for developing countries and their development partners to assess their ability to work together to reach meaningful targets in key areas.

Governments, United Nations agencies and other international organizations, and major civil society groups are actively using the MDGs as benchmarks for their development efforts.