Regional Leaders Push For Food Security At Caribbean Week of Agriculture
Regional Agriculture Ministers gathered in St. Kitts and Nevis for the 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture have emphasised the importance of the region becoming food secure.
The Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2025 is a regional forum for stakeholders in agriculture and rural life to engage in dialogue on transforming Caribbean food systems.
The Deputy Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Geoffrey Ian Hanley, indicated that 44.7 million people in the region need to become more self-sufficient.
« Here is the reality: as small island states, we remain too dependent on imports. On average, Caribbean countries import more than 80 per cent of what we eat. That is a vulnerability we can no longer afford. »
Country Director for the World Food Programme’s Regional Office, Brian Bogart, endorsed the Deputy Prime Minister’s sentiment.
« Today, an estimated 3.2 million people, or 42 per cent of the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, are food insecure. This inequality in access to nutritious food is not just a number. It manifests in the daily reality faced by people across the Caribbean and undermines health, education, and economic opportunity. »
Meanwhile, Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Caribbean office, Dr. Renata Clarke, said she sees progress, as she noted that at the last regional agriculture conference some gains were made.
« The collective effort has led to a new fund that is operational and has started to mobilise private capital for investment. There will be a session on Wednesday morning to reflect on the gains and to prepare to expand on these. »
The theme of the week-long conference is ‘Sowing Change, Harvesting Resilience: Transforming Our Caribbean Food Systems for 2025 and Beyond.’
