The Caribbean is at the halfway point of its goal to reduce food imports to the region by 25 percent by 2025, Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr. Carla Barnett said yesterday during her remarks at the opening of Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) 2023.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, who gave the keynote address at yesterday's opening at Breezes, said the region has made advancements toward the 25 percent goal and can begin through wide regional country-to-country support.

"There is the opportunity to learn from one another, support one another, and establish agricultural trade policies to fill market gaps," said Davis.

"If we truly want to accelerate progress to our 25 by 2025 goal, we must combine our strengths.

"The work done by institutions like IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture), CARICOM Secretariat, FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organization), CARDI (Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute), and CTA (a joint institution operating under the framework of the Cotonou Agreement between the ACP Group of States (Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) has painted a vision of what's possible when we come together.

"Seventeen editions of the CWA have shown that our collective will is stronger than any obstacle. But this is just the beginning. Now, more than ever, as we find ourselves at the intersection of global disruptions and local realities, we must accelerate our vision."

Davis suggested the Caribbean grow beyond food production and produce crops for industrial and medicinal use.

"Let's leave no stone unturned and no idea unexplored," Davis said.

"The future of the Caribbean's agricultural landscape is in our hands, and together, we will shape it."

Barnett said the technical sessions of the CWA will include a focus on topics such as animal and plant health, food safety, fisheries research, innovation, digitization, involvement of women and youth, climate change and trade facilitation.

She said the session are designed to produce strategies and projects that will grow the agriculture sector of the Caribbean.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now at the halfway point of our 25 by 2025 initiative," said Barnett.

"At this time, we cannot afford to lose sight of our target. We must leverage the agricultural sector to empower farmers and food producers, and especially our women, young people and rural communities, we must reduce the region's growing food import bill and ensure food and nutrition security for future generations of our region."

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