CARDI’s views on the threats to food security caused by environmental change

Presented by

Wendel Parham Wendel Parham

PhDPhDExecutive DirectorExecutive Director

Presented at GECAFS/SANREM CRSP Caribbean Project Planning Workshop CARICOM Headquarters, Georgetown, Guyana

June 16-17

CARDI is owned by 12 member countries of the

Caribbean most of which are small island states

CARDI’s member countries are:

1. Prone to natural disasters

2. Vulnerable to disruptions in international transport operations

3. Experiencing rising temperatures

CARDI has been involved with the preliminary work which has been done by GECAFS in the Caribbean.

CARDI has also been involved in disaster relief

co-ordination after hurricanes e.g.,

1980’s

St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica.

1990s

Jamaica, Montserrat.

2000s

Antigua, St. Kitts, Grenada

CARDI is the chair of the Caribbean/Florida Working Group on Invasive Species

CARDI has a project proposal for post disaster restoration of farmers’ seed supply.

FOOD SECURITY

There is much debate on what this means

Does it mean growing enough food to prevent hunger/famine? If so the Caribbean is not food secure.

Or does it mean having enough money to purchase food to supplement the shortfall in local production? If so the Caribbean is fairly food secure at the moment as income from tourism is used to import foods for residents and tourists.

FOOD SECURITY

Even if the Caribbean is presently food secure, it may not remain so if the effects of climate change are felt.

Effects of Climate Change

1. Warmer temperatures

2. More natural disasters (particularly hurricanes)

3. Perhaps change in rainfall patterns

4. Coastal erosion

Effects of Warmer Temperatures

1. Possible loss of plant species diversity

2. Loss of comparative advantage for growing warm-weather crops

3. High sea temperatures will affect marine life and fisheries

4. Tourists may not enjoy hot conditions

5. More energy needed to fuel cooling plants (air conditioners, refrigerators)

6. Possible increase in pests/diseases

Effects of Natural Disasters

1. Tourist infrastructure destroyed or damaged

2. Tourists reluctant to visit in hurricane prone months

3. Disruption to agricultural production.

Effects of Warmer Seas

1. Migration of fish to cooler waters

2. Destruction of coral reefs; this will affect tourism

Effects of Possible Rainfall Pattern Change

1. More difficult to grow crops which are now rain-fed

2. More difficult to grow crops which give reduced yields when rain is too high

3. Perhaps more need for irrigation, but water for this may not be available

4. Perhaps more flooding

Effects of Coastal Erosion

1. Loss of sandy beaches

2. Destruction of tourist plants

3. Loss of agricultural lands (e.g., seaside coconut estates)

Research/scientific work needed to improve

food security

1. Research into high temperature resistant/high temperature preference varieties

2. Need for gene banks to preserve diversity

3. Need for seed banks to restart production after disasters

4. Need scaled up forecasts to predict future rainfall patterns

Research/scientific work needed to improve

food security (continued)

5. Research on post harvest and value added processes to

encourage use of locally grown foods

6. Biotechnology for quick response to disasters and

multiplication of planting material

7. Control and management of invasive species / new pests

and diseases

8. Soil and water management regimes

9. Controlled environment food production (e.g. shade houses)

A public relations campaign is needed so that:

a. The public knows what is going to happen

b. Tourism investment is seen as risky in the long term

c. Food security is seen to be heavily dependent on local supplies

THANK YOU

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