Food Security Survey Highlights Need for Comprehensive Solutions to Economic Challenges – Amb. David Prendergast
The recent food security and livelihood survey has highlighted the need for the Caribbean to increase the production of “what we eat”, Director of Sectoral Programmes at the CARICOM Secretariat, Ambassador David Prendergast said.
He was at the time making remarks at the launch of the sixth CARICOM/World Food Programme (WFP) COVID-19 Food Security and Livelihoods Survey on 26 June 2023.
The survey found that while the food security situation improved, challenges still exist. It revealed that 3.7 million people, or 52 per cent of the population of the English-speaking Caribbean, remain food insecure. This is a 10 per cent decrease when compared to an August 2022 survey, but, it underscored growing financial hardship and challenges due to the rising cost of living in the aftermath of the pandemic.
According to the survey carried out among English-speaking Caribbean countries, 98 per cent of respondents reported high food prices in the three months prior to the survey, the highest level reported since the first survey in 2020.
In a region that is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, the survey revealed that 42 per cent of households were affected by climate-related hazards in the 12 months prior to the survey. These events continue to have a significant impact on climate-sensitive livelihood activities such as agriculture and fisheries.
“This is critical for the Region as we are currently pursuing our vision 25 by 2025 food import bill reduction initiative,” he pointed out, and added that CARICOM Member States are already making “significant advances” to meet the goals of the initiative.
Amb. Prendergast said the results serve the CARICOM region as a tool and basis to develop policies, plan programmes and project interventions to achieve food security. The results also highlighted the need to build resilience and adaptive capacity to effectively respond to and recover from shocks.
“Urgent measures are required to address the affordability, accessibility, and availability of livelihood inputs. Stabilising market prices and investing in climate resilience also needs attention. Sustainable solutions must be developed to ensure food security, protect livelihoods, and foster economic stability in the face of mounting challenges,” he said.
The survey, he said, highlights the need for comprehensive solutions to economic challenges and better access to affordable necessities.
“It emphasises the necessity for further urgent collective action and support in addressing Regional Food and Nutrition Security. It highlights the need to increase the production of what we eat, facilitate intra-regional trade and increase investment in agriculture and food production,” Amb. Prendergast said.
The survey report can be found on wfp.org. An interactive dashboard with results from all rounds of the survey is also available online. The dashboard visualises comparison of the results over time and for the overall region and individual countries. https://analytics.wfp.org/t/Public/views/CaribbeanFoodSecurityLivelihoodsSurvey/Overview
Source: CARICOM TODAY