A Bold New Caribbean

Our expectation is that implementation of these policy measures will foster an environment to com- mercialise food supply in priority areas, through large scale private sector investment.

Encouraging Youth Participation The “I am Agriculture” campaign demonstrates our commitment to encourage youth participation to transform the agriculture sector. A video series highlighting successful agricultural businesses of young people across the Region was launched, in November 2022, to increase awareness and en- courage further participation by this key demo- graphic. The Agri-Investment Forum held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago in 2022, the Caribbean Agri- Food Investors Conference held in Guyana in June 2023, and similar forums, such as the annual Carib- bean Week of Agriculture exhibition and seminars, continue to highlight investment opportunities and actions to further bolster the agri-food sector. In January 2023, we established a Youth Adviso- ry Council, comprising young farmers from all 20 CARICOM Member and Associate Member States, so that the voice of our youth will be reflected in the 25 by 2025 Initiative. They are now developing a strategic plan to be approved by the Ministerial Task Force, as the youth contribution to the Initia- tive. Transforming agriculture is a key socio-economic contributor to the inclusive prosperity which we all seek. We look forward to realising the desired out- comes to grow and develop the Region’s agri-food system, foster food and nutrition security, and ad- vance the economic development of the Caribbe- an Community.

CARICOM has made steady progress

Though challenged by climate change, limited hu- man resources, drought and adverse weather pat- terns, CARICOM Member States have made steady progress towards the 25 by 2025 target. Some achievements to date are: + In Barbados, expansion by 100 acres of the Agri- cultural Land Lease Programme; launch of a new USD 7.5 million Tissue Lab, and adoption of a suite of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Legislation;

CARIBBEAN INVESMENT FORUM

+ In Jamaica, launch of a Spice Development Programme;

+ In Trinidad and Tobago, launch of a USD 110,000 model cattle farm and a National Shadehouse Project, and a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on agriculture with Guyana;

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+ In Dominica, an increase of over 5% in small rumi- nant production.

+ In St. Lucia, an increase of 5% in local agricultural production, along with a major domestic food se- curity programme. The Region’s efforts have been bolstered by the announcement of a USD 100 million allocation to the Region by the Government of the United States of America, which includes funding for food and security efforts, and support from the European Union (EU) valued at EUR 19 million for a Food Se- curity Support Programme to enhance the envi- ronmental and socio-economic resilience of food systems in the Caribbean.