This statement was part of the remarks made yesterday by the Secretary-General of CARICOM, Irwin LaRocque at a virtual meeting of CARICOM Ministers of Agriculture, Financial Institutions, Donor Organizations and Donor Countries Support for CARICOM Agri-Food and Food Security Response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Secretary-General spoke of a major initiative – the CARICOM COVID-19 Agri-Food Security Action Plan-which was prepared by the CARICOM Secretariat, in collaboration with partner organisations, including IICA, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

It outlines interventions to be undertaken by Member States and regional organisations to treat with the immediate agri-food supply needs arising from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to strengthen the Region’s food and nutrition security in the ensuing years.

Some of the immediate actions in the plan mentioned by LaRocque are: the creation of a trade and information portal for Member States and the private sector to access information with the aim of linking excess production with food deficits throughout the Region; intervention by the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) and national Agricultural Health and Food Safety (AHFS) authorities in implementing SPS measures and protocols to facilitate intra-regional agri-food trade; and promoting the availability of relevant planting material, agricultural inputs and livestock feeds.

He declared that these are measures that have been initiated by CARICOM Governments, as they seek not only to respond to the immediate challenge posed by COVID-19, but also to build resilience in the agri-food sector and to enhance our food security.