Above: a Beach in Barbados
Given its small size, the Caribbean must seek help to develop effective mitigation and adaptation strategies to address climate change, Barbados Acting Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management Haynesley Benn said yesterday. If the region remained reactive, he said, it could cost 14 percent of GDP by 2025.
“In our agricultural sectors, the effects of climate change are such that they can worsen our food security and nutrition situation,” he said. “Drastic measures must, therefore, be taken if we are to manage the expected fallout from climate change on our food production sectors. The best way to achieve this is by taking a regional approach.”
One solution Benn offered was to develop regional food production and distribution systems to ensure food availability. Benn was speaking a the opening of the 47th Caribbean Food Crops Society Meeting in Bridgetown.
–Barbados Information Service