The Caribbean Food System and Controls on Socioeconomic Development

1. The Caribbean Food System and Controls on Socioeconomic Development April 2002 Authors Compton L Paul Donatus St Aimee Winston J Phillips Lynda Wickham Christine Bocage

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Consequences (Cont’d) • Damage to environment: soil erosion, water quality degradation, etc. • Vicious cycle of more inputs, less returns, increased environmental damage, higher costs.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Changing global environment Global changes can be divided into two categories: • climatic • economic

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. Changing global environment (Cont’d) • Change in world consumption patterns; eg. health food vs traditional foods. • Increased competition from TNCs and MNCs.

12. Required policy changes. Policy changes in the region will be required at two levels: • national • regional

13. Required policy changes (Cont’d) National • Need 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)

14. Required policy changes (Cont’d) • 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.

15. Required policy changes (Cont’d) Regional: • Capacity building to meet global standards • Synchronization of national agenda to regional requirements

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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