CARICOM on track to achieving self-sufficiency by 2025 – Chairman Ali

– Progress made on intra-regional transportation

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is on track to reduce the region’s multi-billion import bill by 25 per cent by 2025 with steady progress made in almost every Caribbean nation.

This is according to CARICOM’s Chairman, who is responsible for Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security, President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

Speaking at a press conference at the culmination of the four-day 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM at the Marriott Hotel, Wednesday evening, President Ali expressed confidence that the target will be achieved.

The Head of state noted some nations are facing difficulties in advancing this objective due to the nature of their environments.  Fortunately, the community developed specific initiatives during the four-day meetings, which will be pursued within a short time frame to assist those Caribbean states in meeting the targets.

He further explained that data collection and analysis is a major issue.

“That will be resolved with an investment of a data analytic platform here in Guyana that will support the entire region. We spoke about the use of innovation, hydroponics, we spoke about the involvement of young people and women to push of production,” the CARICOM Chairman said.

President Ali added, “We’ve made so much progress and we’re so confident about 2025, that I was comfortably enough to say that we’re looking at 2030 and how to end malnutrition and hunger within the region.”

In his opening aaddress last Sunday, the head of state unveiled the region’s new objective of moving to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030, recognising that 57 per cent of the Caribbean region’s population is affected by food insecurity.

He elaborated further on the issue at Wednesday’s press conference, highlighting the issues of access to food, the quality of access and the nutritional value as important elements of food insecurity that must be addressed.

“It is all three of these aspects of food insecurity that we have to look at. And if you look at the recent FAO report, you would see exactly the type of numbers that we’re looking at and you would see also, that the reports speak to the issue of growing obesity,” President Ali stated, reiterating the region’s holistic approach to addressing this subject.

Intra-regional transportation was among the pressing issues that were discussed and according to the CARICOM’s Chairman, the private sector has indicated their vested interest.