By: Dr Carla Barnett
October 8, 2024
I am very pleased to be here at the Opening Ceremony of the Eighteenth Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA). As one of our flagship events, the Caribbean Week of Agriculture is critical to increasing awareness of agriculture, food and nutrition security in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), 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.
This year’s theme “Climate Smart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future” supports the critical importance of agriculture, and underscores the imperative of adopting agricultural practices and technologies which 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.
We, therefore, extend heartfelt gratitude to the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for so graciously opening their doors to us at this time to stage this pivotal event. Their remarkable resilience is clear as they respond to the formidable challenges posed by the hurricane’s devastation. This commitment to this event underscores the importance of the discussions on climate change and the sustainable development of our Region.
Climate change is an enduring reality, and its effects are being felt in our nations, our communities and in our lives. It is therefore imperative that we identify and embrace new strategies to navigate the dynamic environment which 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.
Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach that can help us to tackle the intertwined issues of food security and climate change, and embed resilience and sustainable agricultural production methods at the heart of our 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% by the year 2025. The needle is moving on this programme, and Member States have been implementing successful initiatives. Member States have also suffered losses to their production due to the hurricane we experienced three months ago. There is more to be done. 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.
Beyond 2025, as President Ali, who is Lead head on Agriculture, has said, we will take stock, renew our efforts to increase even further, and set new targets as we move ahead. We need increased investment, and 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 economic vitality of the Region, and takes into account the food and nutrition security of future generations. The collaborative approach, such as that demonstrated by this event, is essential in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change.
CARICOM is committed to fostering regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing that will propel us towards a greener, more resilient agricultural sector. The representation from the farming community, women, indigenous and youth groups, regional and international development partners, academia, government and the private sector, and the Week’s focus on the unique considerations for some sectors, 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. I look forward to participating in the activities planned and wish all stakeholders a very successful Week.
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
(The author is the Secretary General of the CARICOM)
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