RUSHTON PARAY
AS WE navigate the tumultuous currents of the contemporary world, events of global consequence have sounded a clarion call for TT to return to the roots of our national sustenance: agriculture.
The recently suspended grain agreement between Russia and Ukraine is a cause for great concern. The terminated deal, brokered by the United Nations last August, had allowed Ukraine, a significant global food supplier, to export wheat, barley, sunflower oil, corn, and other food staples to parts of the world grappling with food scarcity.
Ukraine's contribution to the world's food supply has been colossal, exporting almost 37 million tons of food since the agreement was enacted. With its cancellation, international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization anticipate an increase in the prices of food items like cereal by as much as 20 per cent.
This reality stands in sharp contrast to the skyrocketing world prices we experienced before the agreement, where supply failed to meet the growing demand and nations like TT felt the brunt of this imbalance. Our citizens faced the highest levels of food inflation in recent years while wages remained stagnant.
Coupled with the devastating disruption in the international food supply chain caused by the covid19 lockdowns, our nation found itself in a precarious situation. The repercussions were felt most acutely in delayed shipments and a burgeoning food import bill, now close to $6 billion annually, compounded by tight foreign exchange availability and the departure of business investors.
The evolving landscape of global food production, scarred by the relentless onslaught of climate change, adds to our challenges. Take, for instance, India's recent ban on non-basmati rice exports following monsoon floods, a move already causing price hikes, shortages, and panic-buying in global markets, including the US, which imports 90 per cent of its rice from South Asia.
Against this backdrop, the Caricom Food Initiative's commitment to reducing the collective food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025 shines like a beacon of regional resilience. Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett and others emphasise the need for 'our food and nutrition security,' by 'implementing an agri-food systems strategy to reduce reliance on extra-regional imports…' A sentiment which holds particular relevance for us in TT, given our food security concerns.
This ambitious initiative, spearheaded by Guyana's President Dr Irfaan Ali, has sparked increased production of fish, coconut, root crops, and other items. Moreover, we're seeing boosted yields in dairy, meat, cocoa, poultry, soya, and eggs across various countries.
Regrettably, TT's contribution to this regional food basket remains nebulous, with a declining agricultural sector barely impacting our gross domestic product.
The present administration under Dr Rowley has shown little inclination toward achieving food sufficiency. Unfortunately, the thousands of arable acres of land from the former Caroni (1975) lie negl
