-as CARICOM nations inch closer to achieving food security targets

IN the near future, a data analytics platform will be implemented to enhance data collection in the agriculture sector, bringing Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations closer to their food security goals.
CARICOM’s Chairman and Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali revealed this during a recent press conference.

He stated that all member states of the regional bloc are making progress towards the ’25 by 25′ target. This goal, set by CARICOM, aims to decrease the $6 billion food import bill by 25% by 2025.

“Data collection and data analytics is a major issue that will be resolved with the investment of a data analytics platform here in Guyana that will support the entire region. We spoke about the use of innovation, hydroponics; we spoke about the involvement of young people and women to push production and to expand the pool of persons available for food production,” the chairman said.

The 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government took place in Georgetown, Guyana, last week, where regional leaders convened to discuss important matters such as food security, malnutrition, and hunger.
“The conversation is around and the eco-system around food production and not just agriculture; agriculture is just a component,” Dr. Ali added.

Dr. Ali revealed that certain leaders have expressed challenges, but efforts are underway to offer support as necessary.
“Some of states have difficulties because of the environment in which they are operating but we have come up with some specific initiatives that we can pursue in a very short time frame to assist those states in meeting the targets,” he explained.

MALNUTRITION & HUNGER
President Ali emphasised the importance of setting a new goal in the realm of food security, specifically the eradication of malnutrition and hunger rates in the region by 2030.

“Our approach to food security is a holistic one, and that is why we have made so much progress and we are so confident about 2025 that I was comfortable enough to say that we are looking at 2030 now to end malnutrition and hunger within the region and that is a target we are setting our eyes on and we have a commitment from all the member states on achieving this.”

“Food insecurity has many dimensions. One is access, one is quality of access; thirdly is nutritional value, and it is all three of these aspects of food insecurity that we have to look at,” Dr. Ali explained.

The statistics previously shared by the Head of State indicated that approximately 57 per cent of the population in the region is impacted by food insecurity.
And according to him, these figures show “a significant rise” when compared to figures from February 2020.