Regional food policy under spotlight

NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC):

The Bahamas food import bill stood at US$430 million in 2008, and officials blamed low production for the 40 per cent increase over the amount of money spent in 2004.

Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister, Lawrence Cartwright, addressing a workshop to review the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) policy for food and nutrition security said, although most countries have access to adequate supplies of food, the regional challenge has been to address the paradox of increasing demand for food, while the regional agricultural sector is faced with low production and productivity rates.

"The consequence has been an increased reliance on imported food regionally. In The Bahamas, food imports have increased from $310 million in 2004 to $430 million in 2008, an increase of nearly 40 per cent," Cartwright said.

Strategic plan

He said the government is in the process of implementing a medium-term strategic plan to address some of the constraints faced in an effort to increase agricultural production.

Cartwright said that many of the strategies identified in the national strategy, including improving research capacity, investing in human-resource development, modernising agricultural health and food-safety standards, were also identified in the regional policy.

He said ensuring access to food is an important component of the policy that seeks to coordinate regional interventions based on national priorities through 2025.

The minister said it is not meant to reduce national resolve to address issues related to food and nutrition security.

"There is room to improve national coordination and awareness on food and nutrition security and to formalise the existing policy framework," he told workshop participants, adding that addressing food and nutrition issues would require a multi-disciplinary and coordinated approach between the public and private sectors and non-governmental organisations.

In his address, Cartwright said that the Living Conditions Survey of the Bahamas for 2001 estimated the national poverty level at just under 10 per cent.

"We know that the impact of the economic and financial crisis and the resultant loss of jobs, and significant increases in food prices has probably increased the vulnerability of many communities and households by reducing their access to food.

"We have all been aware, through appeals from civic and non-governmental organisations of the need to expand food and other assistance programmes.

"The government has also increased funding for safety-net programmes that provide food and clothing to vulnerable groups," Cartwright said.