The US government has pledged $28 million in assistance to address urgent food security needs in the Caribbean. It’s one of many promises made by US Vice President Kamala Harris as she met with Caricom leaders, including Prime Minister Rowley, in Washington DC yesterday.
“We know that disruptions from Russia’s aggression and from the pandemic and, of course, from the climate crisis, have put pressure on global food prices, and have led to food shortages. Addressing food security in the Caribbean and around the world is a priority for our administration,” Harris said.
The White House said USAID, which set up an office in Port-of-Spain last week, will deploy five advisors to the Caribbean region.
According to the White House Website Fact Sheet, consultants will be mobilised in the following areas: efficient use of fertilizer; biofertilizer production; nutrient management; crop insurance feasibility; and to develop an operational logistics and supply chain model to streamline intraregional trade.
“In particular, we will promote good agricultural practices and do what we can to enhance those practices in the Caribbean,” Harris added.
“We will contribute to addressing the logistical barriers to transportation.”
The meeting is a follow-up to a Pre-Summit of the Americas meeting in April and cements proposals made at the Summit of the Americas in June in California. At the summit, President Joe Biden and VP Harries proposed three joint committees to focus on the issues of energy security, finance and food security.
Each committee has been co-chaired by a leader from the Caribbean and a senior member of the US administration
Prime Minister Rowley is the co-chair of the energy security committee. Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley co-chair the finance committee and Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is co-chair of the food security committee.
In a statement, Prime Minister Rowley said, “With respect to energy security, the potential of the hydrocarbon resources in the region was discussed with a focus on how these resources can be part of the solution to the current global difficulties.”
On the topic of climate change, Harris acknowledged the Caribbean is on the frontline on the climate crisis. She said her government will take steps to accelerate the implementation of the US Caribbean partnership known as PACC 2030.
“The United States, to that end, is committed to four areas, in particular one to identify new clean energy projects, to provide technical assistance to our partners in the Caribbean, to bring investors to the Caribbean, and to improve access to development financing, which was the subject of much discussion in our previous meetings,” Harris said.
