KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC—The 18th edition of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) began here on Monday, with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett, underscoring the importance of the weeklong event to regional efforts at food security.
She told the opening ceremony that the CWA is critical to increasing awareness of agriculture, food, and nutrition security in the Caribbean Community and promoting investment in the Region’s food systems.
” Agriculture is fundamental to the economies and societies of CARICOM member states, ensuring the availability of healthy food, creating jobs, earning foreign exchange, driving socioeconomic development, and supporting the development of rural and indigenous communities.”
The CWA is being held under the theme “Climate Smart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future,” and Barnett said it supports the critical importance of agriculture and underscores the imperative of adopting agricultural practices and technologies that simultaneously boost productivity and enhance resilience.
“This theme is particularly apt as countries in our region, such as our host country, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, work to recover and rebuild their agriculture, fisheries, and other sectors following the destruction caused by the record-breaking weather system, Hurricane Beryl.”
Beryl, a category five hurricane, swept through St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique on July 1. Barnett said Kingstown’s commitment to this event underscores the importance of the discussions on climate change and the sustainable development of our economy.
” Climate change is an enduring reality, and its effects are being felt in our nations, communities, and lives. Therefore, we must identify and embrace new strategies to navigate the dynamic environment we inhabit.
“Our unique vulnerabilities demand that new technologies, techniques, tools, and equipment are harnessed to efficiently and sustainably increase agricultural production, productivity, and incomes.”
Barnett said Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach that can help the Region tackle the intertwined issues of food security and climate change and embed resilience and sustainable agricultural production methods at the heart of its agriculture.
” This 18th Caribbean Week of Agriculture takes on added significance, as it is the penultimate year of our regional strategy to reduce our food import bill by 25 percent by 2025. “The needle is moving on this program, and member states have implemented successful initiatives. Member states have also suffered losses to their production due to the hurricane we experienced three months ago.”
But the CARICOM Secretary-General said there is more to be done, adding, “We must celebrate the positive outcomes that have been achieved, and we must prepare to do things differently and better as we move ahead.
” I take this opportunity to urge you to ensure that our efforts to expand production and reduce our food import bill by 25% by 2025 do not stop.”
She said that beyond 2025, CARICOM will take stock, renew its efforts to increase even further, and set new targets.
“We need increased investment, increased knowledge-sharing, and partnership across the Region and beyond as we take full advantage of the opportunities inherent in new technologies and methodologies of Climate-Smart Agriculture.
” Our goal must remain as it has always been, to create a resilient agricultural sector that withstands the vagaries of climate change, contributes to the Region’s economic vitality, and considers future generations’ food and nutrition security. The collaborative approach, such as that demonstrated by this event, is essential in addressing the multifaceted challenges of climate change.”
Barnett said CARICOM is committed to fostering regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing to propel the Region towards a greener, more resilient agricultural sector.
She said the representation from the farming community, women, Indigenous and youth groups, regional and international development partners, academia, government, and the private sector, and the CWA’s focus on the unique considerations for some industries, indicate our collective commitment to transform agriculture into a more productive, resilient, inclusive and sustainable sector.
” Let us use this opportunity to sow the seeds of change and cultivate a future where the Caribbean leads by example in climate-smart agriculture,” she added.
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