New Delhi: There is only one country in the world that produces every food item its people eat. Nothing comes from outside. If global trade stopped tomorrow, this nation would still eat well and stay fed.
Experts have classified food items into seven basic groups. A country is truly food-secure only when it produces enough in all seven groups for its population. Across the world, only one nation meets this standard. It is small in size and shares good relations with India. Nearly 45% of its people are of Indian origin. That country is Guyana in South America.
It has a population of around 8 lakh people. Between 3.2 and 3.5 lakh citizens trace their roots to India. Their ancestors arrived in the 19th century. The British sent them from regions like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to work on sugar plantations. Over time, they made Guyana their home.
The country covers an area close to the size of Gujarat, but the population here is tiny by comparison. Nearly 85 percent of the land is covered with dense rainforest. Without noise or global attention, Guyana achieved something no other nation has managed. It became fully self-sufficient in food.
This finding came from a study published in the journal Nature Food. Researchers studied food systems in 186 countries. They found only one nation capable of feeding its entire population through domestic production.
The seven food groups Guyana produces
Guyana grows food across all seven essential categories.
Staple starch foods include rice, maize, wheat, cassava, potato and sweet potato. The country produces large amounts of rice. Production exceeds domestic demand.
Legumes, nuts and seeds include lentils, soybeans, peanuts and oil-rich seeds. Vegetables grow throughout the year. Fruits come from local farms and orchards. Dairy products include milk and cheese. Meat comes from poultry, pork and beef farming.
Fish comes from rivers, lakes and the Atlantic coast. Guyana produces all of this for its entire population.
A walk through any market in the capital Georgetown tells the story clearly. One finds local rice, fresh vegetables, fresh fish and fruits in these markets. Almost everything grown within national borders.
Food from its own soil and water
Guyana trades with the world like any modern country. But it holds a rare strength. It can meet every food need from its own land and water.
Even agricultural giants fail this test.
The United States is fully self-sufficient in only four food groups. The United Kingdom manages only two. China and Vietnam succeed in six. They still import dairy or pulses.
India falls short in nuts and edible oils.
India produces surplus rice and wheat and leads the world in milk production. It ranks among top fish producers and grows massive volumes of fruits and vegetables. India still imports 10 to 15 percent of pulses. The country imports over half of its edible oil needs.
How Guyana made it possible
Guyana increased its agriculture budget by nearly 468 percent in recent years. The country moved beyond rice and sugar. It invested in maize and expanded soybean farming. It strengthened dairy production.
Guyana focussed on irrigation systems. It improved drainage, set up food processing units, upgraded rural infrastructure and trained farmers. Progress came step by step.
The country avoided destroying forests. Over 85 percent of original rainforest is protected. Many South American nations cleared forests for farming. Guyana chose another path.
The land is located between one and nine degrees north of the equator. The climate stays warm all year. Rainfall is heavy. Humidity stays high. The soil carries rich nutrients deposited by the Amazon river system over thousands of years.
Indian flavours on Guyanese plates
Indian food lives on in Guyana. Dal puri leads everyday meals. It mirrors the version eaten in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Soft bread, yellow lentil filling, turmeric and cumin and curry on the side.
Kadhi and bhaji dominate street food. Small gram-flour fritters appear everywhere. Mango chutney comes along. Bara resembles vada or dal vada.
Roti forms the daily base. Sada roti looks like plain Indian roti. A softer layered bread appears too. Locals call it “bush-up-shirt” because it looks like a torn shirt.
Guyanese curry relies on turmeric, coriander and cumin. Chicken curry is popular. Duck curry finds pride of place. Paneer curry appears on festive tables. Caribbean chillies add extra heat.
Seven bhaji marks weddings and religious events. Seven vegetables serve together on banana leaves. Rice and dal puri complete the plate. The experience feels like a south Indian sadya or a north Indian community feast.
Desserts follow familiar lines. Vermicelli pudding mirrors sevai or kheer. Sugar sweets resemble shakkarpara. Locals simply call them mithai.
A global lesson
Guyana did not achieve success overnight. It chose patience. It chose balance. It chose food security without destroying nature.
Today, if global supply chains collapse, Guyana would still eat. Balanced meals would still reach every home.
No other country can say the same.
