Lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic for Food Security in CARICOM : Imperatives for the Way Forward

When the Covid-19 pandemic was declared, the global lockdown started, and export restrictions on medical supplies and food were introduced, small islands of the Caribbean were among the first to raise an alarm concerning stability of food supplies and food security. This was not surprising as they are among the most dependent countries in the world on imports for their food availability, and on tourism for their employment and earnings that enable access to food. They are also countries with underlying health conditions that increased their vulnerability to the virus. This paper presents a synopsis of the lessons from the impacts of Covid-19 for CARICOM food security and describes four imperative areas for policy and investment interventions as critical elements of a strategy for building inclusive, competitive, and sustainable food and agricultural systems in the CARICOM region.