Transcript PRESENTATION

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
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
MNCs.
competition from TNCs and
Required policy changes
.
Policy changes in the region will be required
at two levels:
 national
 regional
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)
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.
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