EMPHASIS must be placed on food storage within the Latin American and Caribbean region to avoid major shocks to the regional food-production ecosystem, Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, has said.
President Ali during his address at the opening of the recently concluded 38th Session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC) held in Georgetown, Guyana, said the shocks brought on by wars and the effects of climate change have highlighted the need for greater food storage.
“We have to look at the ecosystem. So, [if] the same emphasis that is placed on energy security, security for fuel, food is so important, why can’t you place the same level of safety as an investment facility that allows the store to avoid shock[s]?
“ We have the technology to increase the shelf life… these are the things that we must address [and] these are the issues that I think of when we look at greater integration, transport and logistics,” President Ali added.
Dr Ali also highlighted the need for more political will and financing to address the advancement of the regional food-production ecosystem
“Many of us say we want to end hunger and end starvation and malnutrition… Political will is not only about shouting out the message; it’s about taking policy action and making policy intervention that addresses the issues. Political will is about making the necessary adjustments and changes in your own local system to support the message we’re putting forward.”
Meanwhile, leaders have agreed to further discussions for action plans on financing and trade.
At a closing press conference for the regional summit, Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who chaired the four-day event, disclosed that several priority areas were highlighted.
“The conference focused on developing strategies for building resilient and sustainable food systems in the region. Key themes addressed during LARC38 included environmental sustainability, economic resilience, social inclusion, and technological innovation. Delegates also discussed strategies for enhancing regional integration and promoting trade,” Mustapha said.
He noted that the outcomes of the four-day summit would be vital in advancing food security and sustainable agricultural development in the region.
“Financing is very important. Many countries, small developing states especially, are looking for financing and they have called on the FAO to facilitate, not to give the financing, but facilitate for example like with multinational institutions,” the Agriculture Minister, who also chairs the CARICOM ministerial taskforce on food security, said.
Leaders will muster over the next two years at a series of high-level meetings and conferences to facilitate ‘follow-up sessions’ to discuss the progress made in implementing the interventions and recommendations discussed during LARC38.
These conferences and meetings will be hosted by the FAO and Mustapha will chair meetings in Chile in May and later in Brazil in 2026.
