The Caribbean Regional Dialogue on Food Systems to be held on May 28, 2021 in preparation for the UN FSS and will focus on three thematic areas of Food Security, Climate Resilience and Funding and Financing. These three thematic areas are well-aligned with the UN’s five action tracks and the themes of the FSS are very familiar to CARICOM Member States.  Indeed, the Region has been distinguished by its recognition of the need to transform its food systems as well as by its commitment to finding innovative ways to achieve the SDGs through this transformation.

As far back as the 2001, the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) called attention to the integrated nature of food system challenges and the need for the fundamental transformation of the agricultural sector towards market oriented, internationally competitive and environmentally sound production of agricultural products. Considerable advancement has taken place since, in particular on building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses in light of the impact of climate change, among other factors.  Most recently, CARICOM Member States have been working to finalize the “Strategy for Advancing the CARICOM Agri-Food Systems Agenda”.  The Strategy recognizes that:

“the Region continues to face a myriad of challenges in developing a competitive agri-food system that can contribute to the achievement of its food security and economic goals. Challenges include high trade costs, vulnerability to climate change, environmental and external economic shocks, weak infrastructure, lack of modern and creative financing mechanisms, outdated extension services, limited application of technology and uptake of research and development (R&D) and barriers to intra-regional trade, among others.” 

Given the prominence of these integrated food system challenges for the Region and the longstanding commitment to transformation of its food systems, it is important that the voice of the CARICOM Member States be well heard at the Summit in New York, in September 2021, and at the Pre-Summit event in Rome, in July 2021.