Strengthening local food production and trade in the Caribbean
Pye-Smith, C.
Two decades ago, countries belonging to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) imported 54% of their food. By 2011, the figure had risen to 71% and the food import bill now exceeds US$4 billion a year. To counter this trend, Caribbean countries have pledged to increase domestic food production and reduce their reliance on imports.This will be good not just for the balance of payments, but for the health of their people. Imported foodstuffs may be cheap, but they are often calorie-dense and of low nutritional value. This has led to an obesity epidemic and the associated rise in non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and various cancers. Governments, the private sector, and small-scale farmers all have an important role to play when it comes to increasing home-grown food production, and the stories told in this booklet provide an insight into a variety of projects and programmes that are helping Caribbean islands to become more self-sufficient.
Publication Details
- Published: 2017
- Publisher: CTA