Food security, climate resilience, and financing will be the primary areas of focus when stakeholders from across the region convene on 28 May 2021 for a Regional Food Systems Dialogue.
The regional forum is a precursor to the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit slated to be held in September as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Ideas, solutions, and action plans emanating from this dialogue will feed into the Global forum, as well as a pre-Summit event scheduled for July in Rome, to ensure that the voice of the Caribbean is well heard.
The CARICOM Secretariat is partnering with key regional stakeholders to convene this forerunner event, including United Nations Resident Coordinators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). The aim is to solicit Member States’ views on key aspects of the Region’s food systems challenges along with regional-level proposals that should be highlighted in the international fora.
The forum will feature interventions from Member States, an interactive session with stakeholders including farmers groups, NGOs, the private sector, civil society, and remarks from key officials. CARICOM Ministers of Agriculture will also chair three critical sessions on Climate Change and Caribbean Food Systems, Finance and Funding for the new Caribbean Food System and Food Production and Security a Caribbean Imperative.
The Dialogue seeks to promote knowledge transfer and sharing of best practices critical for Caribbean SIDS. Discussions on food security will address improving productivity, opportunities and constraints in agriculture forestry and fisheries, as well as new technologies and innovation.
With respect to climate resilience, focus will be on commitment to transform to a low-carbon development pathway, climate-smart production processes and digitized data to anticipate threats, manage risks and enhance shock responsiveness. Under the Funding and Financingtheme, participants will explore the development of new financing instruments, financing innovation for financial literacy and job creation in the food system.
