Caribbean Talks Agriculture in Dominica

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - October 11, 2011

Above: CARICOM SG and Dominican native Irwin LaRocque in Roseau for talks (Photo: CARICOM)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

High-level talks have begun in Dominica at the Climate Change and Science Technology Workshop during the 10th Caribbean Week of Agriculture in Dominica.

The event was the opening ceremony of a week looking at trends and major issues in Caribbean agriculture.

“There can be no true food security without paying attention to the preservation of the environment,” said Dominican Environment Minister Kenneth Darroux. “For small island states like Dominica, this poses a particularly difficult challenge given our small and fragile economies.”

The forum also looked at the drastic flooding in Dominica at the end of September, which Agriculture Minister Matthew Walter called the worst in the country’s history.

“It means therefore, Dominica must adapt to reduce its vulnerability and mitigate its losses,” he said. “This is particularly true for the agricultural sector, which provides 20 percent of GDP and employs 35 percent of the population.”

Acting Prime Minister Ambrose George said that the fact that the region was holding its 10th Caribbean Week of Agriculture was an important milestone.

“[It] implies that we have made significant progress in ensuring that the bonds that keep us together at the governmental and institutional levels, albeit through difficult challenges, have grown stronger,” he said. “The agriculture sector is vitally important in the gamut of economic and social interactions of the region’s people.”

According to George, the negative impacts of climate change could mean a 5 percent reduction in GDP annually in the Caribbean, and with an estimated $4 billion extra-regional food import bill, the importance of climate change on Caribbean agriculture should not go unnoticed, he said.

Popular Posts w punta cana

A New All-Inclusive W Hotel Is Opening This Year in Punta Cana 

The first-ever all-inclusive W Hotel in the Caribbean is opening this year in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Journal has learned.  The hotel, part of a broad expansion for parent company Marriott International, is on the list of expected 2024 […]


Why Grenada Is a New Caribbean Luxury Hotspot

beach house silversands

From its world-renowned chocolate to its pristine beaches to a region-leading focus on sustainability, Grenada is as fascinating and unique as destination as you’ll find in the Caribbean.  But in the last few years, the lush Eastern Caribberan island has […]


5 Adults-Only Resorts to Visit Right Now in the Caribbean 

galley bay

Sometimes you just want that extra degree of serenity, of privacy, of seclusion. There is a reason, after all, that adults-only resorts are booming in popularity, particularly in the Caribbean: travelers want to know that when they arrive, they know […]


Related Posts

CARICOM Sending Observer Mission for Trinidad Elections

Mission to oversee Sept. 7 vote By Dana Niland CJ Contributor CARICOM has announced it will mount an Electoral Observer Mission to monitor the general elections to be held in Trinidad and Tobago on September 7. The Chief of Mission […]


CARICOM and the Vatican Establish Diplomatic Relations

Another new Caribbean diplomatic partner By Alexander Britell CARICOM and the Vatican have officially established diplomatic ties, the two sides announced this week. CARICOM Secretary General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque accepted the credentials of the Vatican’s first-ever Ambassador to CARICOM, Archbishop […]


Support Grows for CARICOM Tourism Platform

Bahamas’ Christie gains fans after recent speech on tourism By Dana Niland CJ Contributor Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie’s recent speech underscoring the importance of tourism to the regional economy is finding support from the region’s hotel industry. The Caribbean Hotel […]


SUBSCRIBE!

Sign up for Caribbean Journal's free newsletter for a daily dose of beaches, hotels, rum and the best Caribbean travel information on the net.


No. Thank You