GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC)— Food security, climate resilience, and financing will be the primary areas of focus when stakeholders from across the region convene on Friday for a Regional Food Systems Dialogue.

The aim is to solicit views from Caribbean Community (Caricom) on key aspects of the region’s food systems challenges along with regional-level proposals that should be highlighted in the international fora.

Discussions on food security will address improving productivity, opportunities and constraints in agriculture forestry and fisheries, as well as new technologies and innovation. With respect to climate resilience, focus will be on commitment to transform to a low-carbon development pathway, climate-smart production processes and digitised data to anticipate threats, manage risks and enhance shock responsiveness. Under the Funding and Financing theme, participants will explore the development of new financing instruments, financing innovation for financial literacy and job creation in the food system.

The regional forum is a precursor to the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit slated to be held in September as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Ideas, solutions, and action plans emanating from this dialogue will feed into the Global forum, as well as a pre-Summit event scheduled for July in Rome, to ensure that the voice of the Caribbean is well heard.

The event is being held as countries are looking to strengthen health and agri-food systems in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted agri-food systems.

“The Caribbean is at a crossroads where only game-changing solutions will cause the transformation of our food systems to happen. The time is now for all minds to be alike and at one in working towards achieving this goal.  The stage has been set by the Caricom Heads of Governments with the establishment of the Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security. This Regional Food Systems Dialogue will form the basis and foundation for this transformation to become a reality for the Caribbean,” said Shaun Baugh, programme manager, agricultural and agro-industrial development at the Caricom Secretariat.

UN Resident Coordinator, Didier Trebucq, added: “Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) are currently facing multiple intersecting crises, including climate change, COVID-19, and natural disasters, that are adversely impacting development and attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. We cannot discount the critical role that sustainable food security plays in helping to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Resident coordinators and UN teams across the Caricom region are working assiduously, in collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, to advance progress on SDG implementation, this regional dialogue is a significant step in the right direction.”

Manuel Otero, Director- General of IICA said farmers, science and technology and agriculture were critical to strengthening the transformations that were already taking place.

The Caricom Secretariat is partnering with key regional stakeholders to convene the Regional Food Systems Dialogue, including United Nations Resident Coordinators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

Farmers, policymakers, non-governmental organisations, businesses, and civil society will participate in the event. Caricom ministers of agriculture will chair the three critical sessions on Climate Change, Caribbean Food Systems, Finance and Funding for the new Caribbean Food System and Food Production and Security, a Caribbean Imperative. The ministers of agriculture of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados and Guyana are among the officials who are confirmed for the event.

Guyana’s President and lead Head of Government for Agriculture in the Caricom Quasi Cabinet, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, will deliver the keynote address.