Caribbean agricultural sector transformation forum

The 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture, held in Jamaica, brought together delegates from 34 countries to discuss transforming the regional agricultural sector into a driver of economic growth and innovation.

Initial discussions focused on the challenges of maintaining production amidst weather-related disruptions. Jamaican Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green noted that while Hurricane Beryl caused significant irrigation issues due to power outages, lessons learned from that event facilitated a faster recovery after Hurricane Melissa through the use of backup power systems.

As the forum progressed, regional ministers shifted focus toward structural reforms to improve trade and supply chain connectivity, particularly between farmers and the tourism sector. Proposals included the creation of a Caribbean Tourism Agricultural Logistics Centre to prevent revenue loss from imports, the expansion of Jamaica’s Agri-Linkages Exchange (ALEX) into a regional system, and the establishment of a regional vessel for transporting livestock between islands.