–in pursuit of intra-regional food security

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley have hailed the cooperation and growing partnership between the two nations as a model that can be replicated across the region in pursuit of intra-regional food security.
The leaders of the two nations were at the time speaking at the opening of Barbados’ Agro Fest held at Queen’s Park on Friday. More than 150 Guyanese across 55 businesses are participating in the Agro Fest, which is being held under the theme, “Greening Together Ah Caribbean Thing”.
Barbados and Guyana have deepened ties, advancing bilateral partnerships in a number of areas, including housing, agriculture, tourism, commerce and capacity building in the past 18 months.
Delivering the feature address at the event, Dr. Ali noted that Guyana and Barbados are working to create a value chain for development.
“This model that we are seeking to create with Guyana and Barbados, it is a model that Prime Minister Mottley and I are convinced that once we can show the results of this model, it is a model that can be replicated all across the region to create a win-win scenario and position for all of us,” Dr. Ali noted.
A number of Barbadians are currently receiving shade-house management training in Guyana, while 6,000 Guyanese will be trained in tourism in Barbados. Both countries are working on the Black Belly Sheep Project.
A delegation from Barbados recently participated in the Agri Investment Forum and Expo which was held in Guyana from May 19 – 21.
There is also ongoing work to create linkages between Guyana, Barbados and the northern State of Roraima in Brazil, which will further advance work in a number of areas, including tourism.
Guyana and Barbados are currently central in the Caribbean’s goal to achieve food security through ‘25 by 25 (reducing the region’s extra regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025)’.

REINVIGORATED ENERGY
Over the past few months, CARICOM member states have been putting reinvigorated energy in bringing agriculture and food production to the spotlight, underscoring its importance in the region’s development, and promoting the need to increase local production, bolstered by increased local consumption.
This is in light of consecutive global crises in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine war.
Commenting on the region’s aspirations to achieve food security, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali noted that as the world faces a continuously escalating “food catastrophe”, together, the countries in the Caribbean have a great opportunity to advance a path that will be forever remembered as the region sets about a master plan to tackle the global food security crisis.
“We are meeting under very difficult global circumstances; circumstances that have created havoc in many economies. Empty shelves, rising cost of living, but, more importantly, shortage of food supplies,” Dr. Ali said.
He noted that the reality is that developing economies will not be a top priority for suppliers as they look to address growing demands to deal with the impending global food insecurity crises.
“The challenges that will come will impact us the most. It’s so important that, as a people, we in this region understand that agriculture must be at the centre of what we do,” he said, adding: “One of the most recent headlines in The Economist is about the common foods catastrophe. We are seeing headlines across every single country about empty shelves and rising cost for food.”

MASTER PLAN
President Ali noted that the work has already begun on a master plan for the region to enhance food production and support systems for farmers.
However, to achieve this would require all players in the region working together. President, Dr. Ali cautioned that the respective countries in the Caribbean must see each other as allies in this quest for food security, otherwise the planned initiatives to improve food security will not see or bear fruit.
“We cannot see ourselves as competitors; we have to see ourselves as a singular partner working together for one common goal and vision,” said President Ali.
He called for economic expansion and cooperation to be built on a platform of respect and fairness.
President Ali also took the time to congratulate PM Mottley on being named Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2022, while, during her remarks, PM Mottley greatly praised President Ali’s attendance at the Agro Fest. It signified the seriousness with which the two countries are taking the need to move forward with the twinning of opportunities.
“Your presence here will motivate our people in understanding that there is a train that has left the station, and that train is the Caribbean food security train, and its Captain is President Ali,” said PM Mottley.
The challenges facing the region can only be overcome through unity and internal solutions.
“When no one else will be there for you, we in the region must be there for our own people. Regional unity is needed now more than ever, if we are going to turn the corner and move away from these multiple crisis,” PM Mottley underscored.
She also emphasised that now is time for the region to get the equation correct in terms of eating what it grows, and growing what it eats.
“We have a duty to do as our forebears did, to eat what we grow, and to grow what we eat. We have a duty to understand that what may come fast and easy may not always be best for us,” she noted.

PULL QUOTE: ‘Your presence here will motivate our people in understanding that there is a train that has left the station and that train is the Caribbean food security train and its Captain is President Ali’ — Prime Minister Mia Mottley