Economic Development and Security in the Caribbean: Food Security

J.R. Deep Ford Coordinator, UNFAO , Caribbean

Presentation to OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security

1. What is Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) ?

2. How does Food and Nutrition INsecurity threaten/impact Security in the Caribbean ?

3. How can we promote and maintain improved food and nutrition security ?

Economic Development and Security in the Caribbean: Food Security

What is Food and Nutrition Security ?

Availability (Production)

Accessibility (Employment)

Stability (Risk/Natural Disasters)

Utilization ( Consumption)

“Food security, at the individual, household, national, regional and global levels, exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”

Grains, fruits, oils, meat, dairy products and vegetablesWorld Food Summit, Rome (1996)

A Right – A Covenant• 1948 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25: 1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

• 1966: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 11: 1. – The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent.

•2004: The FAO COUNCIL adopted the Right to Food Guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security based on the International Covenant.

A Commitment• 1996 – World Food Summit – Food Security Definition, 2015 Goal and PillarsThe Rome Declaration: We pledge our political will and our common and national commitment to achieving food security for all and to an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view to reducing the number of undernourished people to half their present level no later than 2015. (November 1995, Rome)

• 2000: UN Millenium Declaration Development Goals (8) –Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Target 2: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of peoplewho suffer from hunger Indicator: Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption

The United Nations Secretary-General encourages all partners to scale up their efforts to turn the vision of an end to hunger into reality.

The United Nations ZeroHunger Challenge

Grow Share Protect

How does Food INsecurity threaten/impact Security in the Caribbean ?

Dependence on an external food supply – high food import bill Economic vulnerability internally- weakened agricultural and food sector Unhealthy population - high cost, low productivity Citizen/personal security – praedial larceny, domestic violence

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

U$

Mill

ion

Year

TRENDS IN CARICOM AGRICULTURAL TRADE IN CROPS AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS 1990-2011

Total EXPORTS U$M Total IMPORTS U$M

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Antigua and Barbuda

The Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Dominica

Grenada

Guyana

Haiti

Jamaica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago

US$million

CARICOM FOOD IMPORT BILL 2000, 2007 & 2011 (US$M)

2000

2007

2011

CARIBBEAN CEREAL IMPORT DEPENDENCY RATIO(percentage)

CARIBBEAN CEREAL IMPORT DEPENDENCY RATIO(percentage)

1990-1992 2000-2002 2007-2009

Antigua and Barbuda 99.1 99.2 99.2Bahamas (the) 97.7 99.7 99.3Barbados 102.2 110.8 111.8Belize 35.2 35.2 30.3Dominica 98.7 96.3 98.2Grenada 124.4 177.5 129.0Guyana 42.2 36.2 33.5Haiti 48.2 61.3 58.6Jamaica 99.6 100.8 102.3Saint Kitts and Nevis 100.0 101.3 100.1Saint Lucia 100.0 100.3 100.9Saint Vincent and the Grenadines418.0 178.4 188.0Trinidad and Tobago 98.8 111.2 115.7Suriname 35.7 35.6 30.3

Caribbean 78.9 76.2 77.3Latin America and the Caribbean 22.5 30.8 29.9

Least developed countries 13.8 15.5 14.8Small island developing States 76.3 75.8 75.9Lower-middle-income economies 10.7 12.3 13.0Low-income food-deficit countries 11.6 12.9 13.3

Developing countries 13.2 15.7 15.5World 14.6 15.7 15.7

V26. Cereals Imports dependency ratio

(Percentage)

COUNTRY POPULATION (thousands)

GDP GROWTH ANNUAL(%)

DEBT TO GDP RATIO

GNI PER CAPITA INCOME

POVERTY % NO. OF PERSONS POOR

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 91 (2013) -2.8 89.3 12,640 18.4 16380BAHAMAS 355 (2013) 1.6 52.4 21,280 9.3 33015

BARBADOS 275 (2013) -6.3 100.3 12,380 19.3 53075BELIZE 331 (2013) 1.9 83.6 4,180 41.3 136703

DOMINICA 68 (2013) 1 79.9 6,460 28.8 19584GRENADA 106 (2013) -0.8 112 7,110 37.7 39962

GUYANA 759 (2013) 5 .. 3,410 36.1 273999HAITI 10261 (2013) 2.8 15.1 760 77 7900970

JAMAICA 2771 (2013) -0.3 131.3 5,140.00 17.6 487696ST. KITTS-

NEVIS 54 (2013) 1.1 133 13,330 21.8 11340ST. LUCIA 180 (2013) -3 80.4 6,530 28.8 51840

ST. VINCENT & THE

GRENADINES 109 (2013) 1.5 70.3 6,380 30.2 32918SURINAME 539 (2013) 4.5 .. 8,480 31 167090

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 1355 (2013) 1.2 46.6 14,440 21 284550

Economic Vulnerability: CARICOM Selected Indicators

Average value of food production in the Caribbean($ per capita)

Average value of food production in the Caribbean($ per capita)

1990-1992 2000-2002 2008-2010

World 239 263 298Developing countries 180 218 258

Latin America and the Caribbean 314 376 452Caribbean 239 205 187

Antigua and Barbuda 137 115 104Bahamas 71 78 87Barbados 197 176 171Belize 468 575 517Cuba 370 296 233Dominica 521 399 387Dominican Republic 211 221 247Grenada 204 176 122Guyana 263 432 432Haiti 114 97 95Jamaica 210 207 188Saint Kitts and Nevis 232 186 42Saint Lucia 445 173 142Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 320 206 188Trinidad and Tobago 107 120 107Suriname 277 178 205

Least developed countries 117 125 149Small island developing States 246 224 215Low income economies 123 125 145Lower-middle-income economies 159 169 196Low-income food-deficit countries 142 150 171

(I$ per caput)100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas (the)

Barbados

Belize

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic (the)

Grenada

Guyana

Haiti

Jamaica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

Suriname

1990-1992 2000-2002 2008-2010

The Caribbean region is the second most prone region in the world to natural disastersHurricane Ivan (2004) caused damage to Agriculture in

excess of US$37 M

Hurricane Dean (2007) ravaged the Caribbean: Agriculture sector damages were Jamaica (US$43M); Belize (US$54M); and St. Lucia (US$10M)

December 25, 2013 Weather System caused damages amounting to approximately US$12M in both St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines

CARICOMPREVALENCE of UNDERNOURISHED (%)

2005-07 2008-10 2011-13Antigua and Barbuda 28.1 23.2 13.9Bahamas 8.0 7.5 5.6Barbados <5 <5 <5Belize 6.6 7.9 6.4Dominica <5 <5 <5Grenada 26.6 23.1 18.7Guyana 9.2 8.1 5.0Haiti 53.9 46.7 49.8Jamaica 7.0 8.1 8.6Saint Kitts and Nevis 21.9 17.8 10.2Saint Lucia 11.3 12.8 12.2Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.4 6.0 5.5Suriname 15.4 14.5 10.2Trinidad and Tobago 13.3 11.1 7.6

Prevalence of Overwt / Obesity in the Caribbean in > 30 years old

23

16

25

7 8

2016 15 14 12 11 10 10

1

5755 54

4643

3430 29 27

25 24 23 2219

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

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Trin

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Dom

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Jam

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Bah

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Source: WHO Global Infobase 2011

How to promote and maintain improved food and nutrition security ?

Policy and Governance

4 Pillars and Twin Track Approach

Fundamental principles and integrated strategies

“ A Caribbean free from hunger and malnutrition where food and agriculture contribute to improving the living standards of all, especially the poorest, in economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner”.

Five Pillars

1.Food and Nutrition Security2.Production (trade) value chains3.Sustainable development of natural resources4.Rural modernization and youth programmes5.Agricultural knowledge and information system

THE FOUR OBJECTIVES OF THE CARICOM FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION POLICY

1.Food availability – production, commercialization, safety and quality2.Food access – vulnerable, affordable3.Food utilization/ nutritional adequacy – nutrition status and NCDs4.Stability of food supply – natural and socioeconomic crises

Good governance for food security

Four Pillars/Track 1: Rural Development and Productivity Enhancement Policy and Practice

Availability(1) Access(2) Stability(3) Utilization (4)Improving productivity, esp. of small-scale farmers

Investing in rural markets and infrastructure (transport)

Enhancing urban food supplies

Improving the functioning of input and output markets

Promoting income-earning opportunities

(youth, women)

Enhancing access to assets

Facilitating the creation of rural non-farm enterprises

Improving the functioning of rural financial systems and labour markets

Improving transition and sequencing of emergency rehabilitation-development efforts

Facilitating diversification

Reducing production variability (irrigation, water harvesting, pest control, etc.)

Monitoring production and consumption short falls

Improving access to credit and saving services

Food handling and storage infrastructure

Food safety regulations and institutions

Safe drinking water and sanitation

Improved Food Choices

Four Pillars/Track 2: Direct and immediate access to food

Availability Access Stability Utilization

Food aid

Market information

Transport and communication

School meals

Food for work programmes

Cash transfers

Community and extended family structures

Emergency food relief

Safety nets/Social Protection systems

Nutrition interventions and education programmes

Five Rome Principles for Sustainable Global Food Security(Adopted by the World Summit on Food Security in November 2009)

Principle 1Invest in country-owned plans, channelling resources to well- designed and results-based programmes and partnerships (Invest). Principle 2Foster strategic coordination at national, regional and global level to improve governance, promote better allocation of resources, avoid duplication of efforts and identify response-gaps. (Governance)Principle 3Strive for a comprehensive twin-track approach to food security. (short and long term).Principle 4Ensure a strong role for the multilateral systems by sustained improvements in efficiency, responsiveness, coordination and effectiveness of multilateral institutions. (Multilateral Coordination)Principle 5Ensure sustained and substantial commitment by all partners to investment in food security, with necessary resources in a timely and reliable fashion, across multi-year plans and programmes. (Vision)

Production/vity

Availability

Accessibility

Nutrition

Social Protection

Governance

Resilience

Sustainability

Crops - Cassava

Livestock – Small Ruminants

Fisheries

Forestry

Food Quality

Wasteage

Food Based Dietary Guidelines

Eat Fresh and local

Obesity

Undernourishment

Pre School Nutrition

School Feeding

Income support

Coordination

Financing

Parliamentary Councils

Private S/Civil Society

Praedial Larceny

Land Zoning

Natural Resource protection

Achieving Food Security and Sustainable Development in the Caribbean

Grow Share Protect

More decentralize

d

More participatory

More responsive and results

driven

Thanks for your attention

Let’s work together