By the Caribbean Journal staff

Soaring food prices are a reminder of the level of attention which the Caribbean needs to pay to food security and production, CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque told CARICOM View this month. Nutrition was especially crucial to stopping non-communicable diseases. “We need to influence the taste and preference of our households to consume nutritionally balanced foods as a means of safeguarding against chronic non-communicable diseases which are prevalent in the region,” he said. As the Caribbean seeks to develop its agriculture industry, LaRocque said the sector could be a key for development, along with a way of increasing regional integration. “When we do get that right, I expect to see a boost in agriculture trade in the Community,” he said. See the full interview here.