Reduce Food Imports 25 Percent By 2025

PARAMARIBO, SURINAME – Climate change taking centre stage at the 43rd Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government but another issue thats plaguing countries in the region is food security import bills are high and food costs are even higher.

The region’s collective food security theme is 25 by 25 – and that is to reduce food imports of CARICOM nation’s 25 percent by 2025 and according to Agriculture Minister Clay Sweeting, it’s the overall message in closed business sessions here at the 43rd Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government.

Sweeting also admitting along with his Caribbean counterparts that achieving a reduction in food import bills will be an enormous task.

And, Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi agrees, noting that CARICOM nations must come together.

Sweeting adds that forums such as CARICOM give regional leaders an opportunity to share wins and losses amongst each other in the agricultural sector.

He says two countries which he hopes The Bahamas can learn from are Guyana and Jamaica.