— among governments, producers and consumers of Caribbean member states, says Minister Mustapha

EVERYONE has a role to play in food safety, from the farm to the table, to ensure the food consumed is safe, said Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, while delivering the feature address at the Caribbean Agriculture Health and Food Safety Agency’s (CAHFSA) second annual symposium.

Minister Mustapha, who also serves as Chairman of the CARICOM Special Ministerial Taskforce on Food Safety, said food safety and security is a shared responsibility among governments, producers, and consumers of Caribbean member states.

“We are all here because we understand the importance of the health and well-being of our national populations, at the same time acknowledging the crucial role that safe food plays in public health and by extension food security of our region. CAHFSA plays an important role in the Caribbean’s agricultural food systems, that is, in enhancing regional development in agricultural health and food safety through the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures which contribute to the welfare of our regional population,” he noted.

Since its establishment, CAHFSA has been mandated to perform a coordinating and organising role for the establishment of an effective and efficient regional sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regime and to execute on behalf of Member States such SPS actions and activities that can be more effectively and efficiently executed through a regional mechanism.

Minister Mustapha also indicated that CAHFSA recently played an important role in the development of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) guidelines for five animal and 14 plant products which will serve to enhance the framework for trade in agricultural commodities among the Caribbean member countries.

“This was consequent to regional trade being constrained by several factors, including, the absence of clear guidelines and protocols for movement of plant and animal products. Further, to support boosting economic development and securing the livelihoods in our member states, a Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security is working closely with the private sector on transforming Regional Agri-Food Systems with a special focus on the complete removal of all intra-regional barriers to trade,” he added.

INTRA-REGIONAL TRADE
Furthermore, Minister Mustapha told the participating officials that agricultural trade, particularly intra-regional trade, can play a significant role in achieving food and nutrition security in the Caribbean region.

“As it is, agricultural trade between Caribbean member states remains at relatively low levels, and, as a result, the region is highly dependent on extra-regional imports for over 50 per cent of food and nutrition needs, and for some countries, that figure is even higher. If we want to lower our food import bill and achieve food security, the Caribbean Community needs to work together to lower this statistic by transforming agri-food systems to increase production and intra-regional trade. The importance of taking action can be seen from the effects of the economic shock and disruption of food supply chains caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; elevating the importance of increasing regional food supply and intra-regional trade,” he said.

While touching on some of the bilaterals held during the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo that was held in Guyana last May, Minister Mustapha added that with the expected increase in agricultural production by CARICOM Member States to meet the 25 per cent by 2025 target, governments must ensure that they are on par with the necessary guidelines related to producing safe food for consumption.

“We must push for the establishment of a Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety that will act as a formal coordination mechanism, advising and strengthening the works of CAHFSA on food safety. Nevertheless, at the COTED Ministerial Meeting held on 22nd July, a Regional Agricultural Health and Food Safety Policy was approved to help reduce and remove all non-tariff barriers to intra-regional trade,” he added.

Approximately 41 officials from across the Caribbean participated in the virtual symposium. (Ministry of Agriculture)