PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali’s recent address to the United Nations General Assembly underscored the undeniable truth: The interconnected crises of global conflict and climate change are driving the world into deeper food insecurity.

His call for a united focus on peace and climate action is not only timely but critical, especially in a world where 2.3 billion people are now moderately or severely food insecure, as highlighted by UN statistics. The implications of these issues are far-reaching, and failure to address them will only exacerbate suffering worldwide.

The alarming rise in food insecurity is directly linked to the instability caused by conflict and climate extremes. In war-torn regions, agricultural systems are destroyed, and supply chains are crippled. Meanwhile, climate change continues to unleash devastating weather events that disrupt global food production. The severity of these challenges has laid bare the need for immediate action to ensure that food systems are resilient against these external shocks.

Dr. Ali’s assertion that peace and climate action must be prioritised is a clear and pragmatic approach to resolving the food crisis. These twin pillars; stability and sustainability, create the conditions necessary for long-term food security. Without peace, agricultural production cannot flourish; without climate action, the global community will remain vulnerable to the worsening impacts of extreme weather. Only by addressing both can we create a stable foundation for a sustainable future.

The successes Guyana has seen in reducing food insecurity, as noted by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, show that targetted policies can make a difference. Guyana’s focus on enhancing domestic food production and reducing CARICOM’s food import bill is a model for self-sufficiency that could be replicated across the Caribbean. However, despite these advances, the country—and the region—remains vulnerable to the larger, global forces of conflict and climate change.

President Ali’s recent book, ‘Achieving Global Food Security: The Caribbean Experience and Beyond’, further expands on these themes, offering the Caribbean as a case study for how to overcome the challenges of food insecurity. It rightly points out that the Caribbean’s potential for agricultural development is vast, but remains underutilised. The region can serve as a model for how nations can leverage their comparative advantages in agriculture to secure food supplies, provided that peace and climate resilience are prioritised.

What stands out in the President’s call to action is the insistence that no one is left behind. The global food crisis requires global solutions, and those solutions must be inclusive, addressing the needs of the most vulnerable. This is not just a moral imperative, but an economic one. Without addressing the root causes of food insecurity—conflict and climate change—the international community will continue to pour resources into short-term fixes rather than long-term solutions.

President Ali’s message to the UN is one that world leaders must heed: Food security can only be achieved if we prioritise peace and climate action. The world cannot afford to ignore the warning signs any longer. Collaborative global efforts, backed by strategic policies, are essential to building a future where food insecurity becomes a thing of the past.

We are at a critical juncture, and the decisions made now will determine whether we can overcome the current challenges, or remain trapped in a cycle of crisis.