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Authorities battle high food prices in region
A recent conference that brought together Agriculture Ministers and Permanent
32nd Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean1.jpg - FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva (centre) meets with CARICOM Ministers at the FAO Regional Conference in Argentina recently.
Secretaries from the Latin America and Caribbean region has highlighted the need for the region to urgently address the issues of Food and Nutrition Security, Disaster Risk Management, and Climate Change.
At the 32nd Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Argentina at the end of March, the main factors characteristic of the region’s agricultural sector were highlighted. They included being highly vulnerable to natural (climatic) and economic shocks; fisheries and forestry being critical components of agriculture; high food import bill; rising and volatility of the prices of food; and high levels of poverty, malnutrition and Non-Communicable Diseases.
The conference also announced that the Caribbean had reached a consensus on policy objectives for agriculture namely transformation of the sector towards market-oriented, internationally competitive and environmentally sound production of agriculture products; increased production, productivity and world market share; increased diversification of processed agriculture products; as well as improved food and nutrition security.
The FAO Programme of Work and Budget for the Latin America and Caribbean Region for the 2012 – 2013 bienniums were also presented, while Priority Areas of Action for 2014 – 2015 were identified.
In terms of the way forward for the Caribbean Agricultural sector, several priority areas were proposed. For example, with regard to Food and Nutrition Security, an increase in production and productivity through promotion of sustainable agricultural systems and enterprises, post harvest technologies and storage was proposed.
Greater promotion of changes in consumption patterns and the right to food was also put forward.
In the area of Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change, the Conference recommended the promotion of Climate Smart Agriculture, and fisheries and forestry best practices on a platform of South-South and Triangular cooperation.
Recommendations were also put forward in the areas of Small Scale Agriculture, where the promotion of backyard and school gardening; and improved access to markets were discussed; as well as Agricultural Health and Food Safety.
Ministers of Agriculture from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago as well as Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Agriculture from Barbados, Grenada, and Guyana participated in the Conference.
The Caribbean Region was also represented by Sergio Garcia, CARICOM Secretariat Programme Manager for Agriculture and Industry; Florita Kentish, FAO’s Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean; and Vincent Little, FAO’s Regional Policy Advisor on Food and Nutrition Security. Michael King, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Barbados was Rapporteur for the Conference.
The 33rd Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Chile in 2014.
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