FAO Delegation: The Bahamas Delegation that traveled to the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) 37th Latin American and Caribbean Regional Conference in Quito, Ecuador. The conference was held from March 28 to April 1. From left: Bahamas Ambassador to the FAO-Designate Winston Pinnock; Minister Clay Sweeting; FAO Correspondent Jeri Kelly-Russel and Acting Director of Marine Resources Gregory Bethel. (Photos/Kendea Smith)

Quito, Ecuador: Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Hon. Clay Sweeting said that his Ministry will be working along with several Caribbean countries to improve food security in The Bahamas.

“I am very excited to say that the UNFAO conference was very successful.  We were able to create not just linkages with other Caribbean countries, but also friendships. So, countries such as Jamaica, that has been really innovative in creating Agribusiness throughout their country, will work with The Bahamas to create a futuristic Agribusiness center. Farmers are business-oriented persons and this Agribusiness Department – that has been stated in our blueprint for change – will really help the farmers to be business-oriented and connected to wholesalers and put extension officers on the ground. We are excited to work with Jamaica in that respect,” Minister Sweeting said.

“We are also excited to work along with countries such as Guyana, which are very involved in the Agricultural sector. Guyana is also expected to hold a conference in the next two years and is looking to work with countries such as ours to involve livestock production. We are looking to work with Barbados that has been intricate in the black belly sheep industry. So, we are working along with them to reduce our country imports – 25 percent by 2025 – and we are excited about this.”

Caribbean Ministers Interact: Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in Trinidad and Tobago, Avinash Singh; Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting; and Minister of Agriculture of Jamaica Pearnel Charles, Jr.

Minister Sweeting said that the Caribbean countries are working as a unit to promote the blue and green economies.

“We’ve done well to ensure that the Caribbean countries are represented at this conference. We were very involved in making sure the blue and green economies were integrated in the final document for the conference. We wanted to make sure that it was innovative, transformative and how climate smart agriculture will be a part of us as a country. Our Agriculture sector only contributes 0.7 percent of our GDP, and we are looking to enhance that. But in order to do that, we must be innovative, involve young people and women and we must not forget the farmers who created the foundation for us as a country and will also work along with us to do that,” he said.

Bahamas Ambassador to the FAO Winston Pinnock also lauded the conference and stressed that The Bahamas’ participation was beneficial.

“I think we have a lot to take back as wins. We came here with no Caribbean country having a seat at the table in FAO in Rome and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to serve on the council on the governing body of FAO. It is a privilege, and we will be on that until 2024. So, we can expect to get a lot more than we have gotten from the FAO as I will be active in that role, and we are hoping to get a lot more global funding,” he said.

 “Minister Sweeting has been very aggressive in leading the charge in transforming Agriculture and we believe we can reduce our import bill as much as we possible.”