TAKING the lead in addressing the challenges of malnutrition, climate change, and other food insecurities affecting the Latin American and the Caribbean region (LARC), Guyana in March will host the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations 38th regional conference.

During the launch of the high-level event on Wednesday, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Guyana’s agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha emphasised the urgent need to transform the region’s agri-food system citing vulnerability to climate change, external shocks, and rising food insecurity.

“This is a very important conference to formulate polices and guidelines for the Latin America and the Caribbean. We know for a fact that that the Latin America and the Caribbean are very vulnerable in terms of the Agri food system.”

Mustapha, who also chairs the special ministerial task force for food production and food security in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) further highlighted the potential for better production and better nutrition while underscoring the need for financing mechanisms, technological innovations, and capacity building to address these challenges.

“We are seeing the political will to reduce hunger, we have seen targeted action to look at different aspects, for example in the Caribbean, and we set targets, especially in Guyana. Since 2020, we have seen the entire region has that political will and made the agri-food system stronger so that we can withstand the shocks that are happening around the world,” the Minister said.

He added that while the region has overcome some challenges that were brought on by climate change and other shocks to its food system, a new plan is needed to holistically address these.

Mustapha believes the conference will be the stage where a regional framework will be created as leaders will discuss investments for rural development, reducing food loss and waste, climate change.

Moreover, addressing malnutrition is a crucial matter that must not be overlooked. Mustapha emphasised the efforts made by Guyana’s school feeding program to ensure that all children in the country receive nutritious meals.

Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and regional representatives from Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) were also present at the launch.

The conference, which is slated to be held from March 18th- 21st, will see the participation of 33 countries from the across region with over 100 delegates attending.
Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, along with several other leaders, agriculture ministers, experts and stakeholders will headline the event.

On Tuesday, the Head of State FAO’s Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mario Lubetkin and FAO’s representative in Guyana, Gillian Smith.

At Wednesday’s launch FAO’s Director General, Mario Lubetkin said, regional co-operation is crucial to addressing food security, hunger, and climate change issues in Latin America and investing in sustainable development, and climate change mitigation measures can help achieve these goals.

Lubetkin believes the conference will also highlight the region’s role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) outlined by the United Nations.

He added that private sector involvement is also essential for success and the conference will bring together stakeholders to discuss the challenges and find synergies to improve resilience.
“The outcome is to try to create the synergies, to try to work together with perhaps a few points, perhaps more than a few because this is the only way we can complete what was never completed in the region.”