Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha addressed the fourth CARICOM-Canada Policy Forum on Thursday, emphasizing the critical role of food security in the prosperity of CARICOM nations amidst increasing climate challenges.
Organized jointly by the CARICOM diplomatic mission and the IICA Delegation in Canada, the forum theme was “CARICOM: Food Security in a Climate-Challenged World”. It provided a platform for discussing measures against growing food insecurity, and strategies to bolster family farming and climate-resilient agriculture in the Americas.
Mustapha highlighted that food security, underpinned by four fundamental dimensions of availability, access, utilization, and stability, ensures that every CARICOM citizen has access to safe and nutritious food irrespective of their economic status. He underscored the importance of enhancing agricultural growth, especially in Guyana’s vulnerable rural hinterlands.
“The aim should be to boost self-sufficiency in the food consumed within the region,” said Mustapha, emphasizing the pivotal role of small-scale farmers in sustaining food security. He noted that Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 is pivotal in guiding adaptation and mitigation efforts against climate change impacts.
Mustapha also shed light on the unique challenges the Caribbean region faces, particularly its vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions. This affects crop availability, fishery resources, and even the nutritional value of produce.
The Guyanese Minister called on developed nations to amplify their efforts in scaling up climate finance to help developing countries like Guyana and its CARICOM neighbors address these challenges.
In a subsequent panel discussion, Mustapha further elaborated that ensuring food security means going beyond production. It entails increasing accessibility and elevating nutritional standards for all, with a focus on providing sustainable employment opportunities for youths, women, and other vulnerable groups.
Closing his remarks, Minister Mustapha urged CARICOM to act collectively and decisively to meet their commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
