Source: Loop
The inaugural Organisation of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) Youth in Agriculture (YIA) symposium began in Dominica on Wednesday with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit questioning the commitment of regional countries to the free movement of goods and services across the region.
Skerrit told the opening ceremony of the three-day event that while he is happy that young people are attending the symposium on agriculture “we cannot speak about OECS agriculture and food exports and imports, neither can we speak about the 25 by 2025 (CARICOM initiative) if today we still have barriers towards importation of food from our sister OECS and CARICOM countries,” he said.
“Why is it we can send our produce from Dominica to European countries and North America and within CARICOM they will not accept certain crops from Dominica or OECS countries?
“It does not make sense to me…Are you telling me that those people overseas or other parts of the world are less human beings than us or we more susceptible to certain things that they are not,” he told the symposium.
Skerrit said there must be the political will within CARICOM and the OECS “if we are to truly achieve our sustainability efforts and food security.
‘If we are serious about it is just a matter of going to the respective cabinets and passing SROs (Statutory Regulatory Orders) and removing those barriers.
“It’s as simple as this. We cannot go and tell the World Bank and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to change their structure and we are unwilling to change our structure within the OECS and CARICOM,” Skerrit said.
The St Lucia-based OECS Commission said that the symposium follows key decisions made at the seventh OECS Council of Ministers/Agriculture meeting, as member states continue to execute the Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation (FAST) Strategy.
The OECS YIA Symposium aims to connect the next generation of agricultural leaders in the region through discussions on innovation, tools, opportunities, and the conditions necessary to shape the future of agriculture.
The OECS Commission said that the agricultural sector in the sub-region has faced many challenges over the last few decades, including a significant decline due to environmental degradation, changes in productivity, and vulnerability to climate events and natural hazards.
It said the declining agricultural sector has also resulted in an ageing farming population and younger people are choosing to refrain from continuing generations of farming practices in their families.
The FAST Strategy prioritises reengaging youth and the OECS Council of Ministers: Agriculture mandated the development of a youth in agriculture programme. The OECS YIA Symposium is the first component of this programme.
The Dominica government through its Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy is hosting the symposium, providing a distinctive experience for participants as the well-known “nature island” of the region.
Other partnering agencies include the European Union through the Regional Integration Through Growth Harmonisation and Technology (RIGHT) programme, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management of Dominica, and World University Service of Canada (Caribbean).
According to the Commission, during the panel discussions, participants will hear from industry pioneers, successful young farmers, and agricultural experts who will share their insights on the latest trends and innovations in agriculture.
It said that there will be interactive workshops and mentorship sessions covering a wide range of topics, including agri-business development, research, innovation and technology, and youth in decision-making and governance in agriculture.
“Participants will connect with like-minded peers, mentors, and potential opportunity holders in the agricultural sector,” the Commission said, adding that an OECS Youth in Agriculture will display and explore technologies and solutions that are revolutionizing the agriculture industry in the region, presented by leading companies and startups.
The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.