The Caribbean Food System and Controls on Socioeconomic Development

AuthorsAuthors

Compton L PaulCompton L Paul

Donatus St AimeeDonatus St Aimee

Winston J PhillipsWinston J Phillips

Lynda WickhamLynda Wickham

Christine BocageChristine Bocage

April 2002

Present situation with food and agriculture in the region

The present situation with food and agriculture in the region is a continuation of the past plantation economies for export. Sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, rice, bananas.

No change in policy after adult suffrage, self rule and independence.

Food production divorced from agricultural production.

Present situation with food and agriculture in the region (Cont’d)

Little importance attached to food for local consumption

All resources allocated to export agriculture

Consequences

Development of monocropping to compensate for limited land area

Cultivation on substandard lands to maximize production at expense of productivity

High input agriculture to compensate for reduced soil fertility.

Consequences (Cont’d)

Damage to environment: soil erosion, water quality degradation, etc.

Vicious cycle of more inputs, less returns, increased environmental damage, higher costs.

Effects on food crops production

Micro-climatic change: changing soil ph, soil microbe interaction, etc

Effect on quality: action of fertilizers and pesticides on texture of food crops.

Economic hardships

Quality change affecting sales reduced returns; move to import use.

Health concerns: cancer, diabetes, etc.

Associated social problems. – Poverty, crime, low worker productivity.

Changing global environment

Global changes can be divided into two categories:

climatic economic

Changing global environment (Cont’d)

Climatic: Change in rainfall patters; increasing

hurricanes; Ozone layer depletion

Over fishing of migratory fisheries, outside of national boundaries.

Increased non-point sources of pollution.

Changing global environment (Cont’d)

Economic: Formation of trading blocs that may be

exclusive

Development of Standards and regulations that can serve as NTBs

Change in world demands for goods and services, e,g, tourism replacing agriculture in the Caribbean.

Changing global environment (Cont’d)

Change in world consumption patterns; eg. health food vs traditional foods.

Increased competition from TNCs and MNCs.

Required policy changes.

Policy changes in the region will be required at two levels:

national regional

Required policy changes (Cont’d)

NationalNeed for clear agricultural policy: regionalization of exports

Need for clear food and nutrition policy: Linkages with Health and Education policies. (Home economics, money management etc)

Need for progressive land and water use policy

Priority setting for R&D to ensure maximum use of scant resources

Institution strengthening, including extension, information dissemination

Incentives: tax concessions for R&D. apprenticeships, etc.

Required policy changes (Cont’d)

Required policy changes (Cont’d)

Regional: Capacity building to meet global standards

Synchronization of national agenda to regional requirements

Research agenda (Cont’d)

Impact of macro policies on food systems

Development of food policies based on local crops

Changing scenarios for demand for tropical products, including the market for health food products

Alternative high local input agricultural systems

Research agenda (Cont’d)

Factors affecting taste and how to reverse trends in the Caribbean

Capacity of S&T institutions to bring about adaptive change and innovation

Priority setting exercises with limited finance and other resources

The marine resources of the region and how they can be harnessed

Research agenda (Cont’d)

Caribbean biotechnology in the context of food, nutrition and health

Island ecology, biodiversity and adaptation

Island economies and capacity to respond to external pressures

Back to Eden

The Caribbean islands before Columbus

If we were the first inhabitants would we have done better

Now that we know better can we undo anything