CAN SAINT LUCIA FEED ITSELF?

Prime minister Philip J. Pierre recently discussed reducing food imports during a meeting with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) director general, Qu Dong-Yu. Pierre said the meeting focused on collaborating with the FAO, to provide technical support and resources to “realise one of our goals – the reduction of our food import bill by 25% by the year 2025.” The Castries east MP noting the adverse impact of persistent rainfall on crops, highlighted the importance of food security. Heads of government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have committed to reducing the region’s large food import bill by 25% by 2025. The leaders expect that the implementation of the CARICOM agri-food systems strategy in the member states will help achieve that goal. The strategy will give special attention to priority crops that account for much of the region’s food imports.