The Caribbean region is among the most vulnerable in the world with majority of the countries classified as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which are recognized globally as highly vulnerable to extreme events, climate variability and climate change. All countries in the region have small national labor markets with high levels of livelihood insecurity and unemployment, and experience considerable dependence on weather sensitive sectors such as agriculture. 

Caribbean SIDS have also been particularly vulnerable to and greatly affected by COVID-19 due to their high dependence on tourism and food imports, while also being disproportionately affected by natural hazards and external shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic, alongside other shocks and stresses, continues to disrupt the livelihoods of farmers, fishers and other vulnerable agriculture actors throughout the Caribbean. 

Addressing the prevailing impacts of multiple interconnected, cascading and mutually aggravating hazards and risks, thissubprogramme focuses on three COVID-19 affected and highly vulnerable SIDS: Grenada, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 

It will contribute to safeguard people with agriculture and food-based livelihoods that are vulnerable to or have been already affected by the impacts of the pandemic and other shocks and crisis such as: drought/dry spells, torrential rains and hurricanes in Grenada; flooding and drought/dry spells in Guyana; and drought, torrential rains, hurricanes and volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  

This FMM subprogramme will build on, complement and further strengthen the outcomes of the following FAO initiatives in the Caribbean:

i) emergency response to COVID-19 including support to impact and needs assessments; recovery and resilience investment planning; and analysis of the impact channels on the agriculture sector; 

ii) iterative support to hazard-specific and multi-hazard preparedness and response planning including for hurricanes, volcanic eruptions and other common priority hazards; 

iii) enhancing the availability, quality and ease-of-access to agro-meteorological data and climate risk information to enhance production and risk management, natural resource management, and facilitate access to climate financing 

iv) capacity building on and institutionalization of innovative DRM and CCA tools

v) support to the development of resilient value chains and implementation of the CARICOM COVID-19 Agri-Food Recovery Plan.  

Status of the sub-programme
On going

A) Grenada

Output 1: Community-based Disaster Risk Management/Climate-resilient practices and technologies are implemented by the most affected/vulnerable crop farmers to facilitate recovery from COVID-19 and increase resilience to multi-hazard risks with focus on drought and extreme rainfall. 

Output 2: Capacity building of the most affected/ vulnerable local agriculture value chains (inclusive of women and youth and their micro, small and medium enterprises) to manage priority multi-hazard risks.

Output 3: Increased capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and the most affected/vulnerable farming communities to manage systemic multi-hazard risks (epidemics, climate, disaster, and food chain threats). 

B) Guyana

Output 1: Community-based Disaster Risk Management/ Climate-resilient practices and technologies are implemented by the most affected/vulnerable livestock farmers to facilitate recovery from COVID-19 and increase resilience to multi-hazard risks with focus on floods and drought.

Output 2: Capacity building of the most affected/ vulnerable local agriculture value chains (inclusive of women and youth and their micro, small and medium enterprises) to manage priority multi-hazard risks.

Output 3. Increased capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture to better mitigate the impacts of flood/drought and manage systemic multi-hazard risks (epidemics, climate, disaster, and food chain threats).

C) St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Output 1. Community-based Disaster Risk Management/ Climate-resilient practices and technologies are implemented by the most affected/vulnerable farmers to facilitate recovery from COVID-19 and the La Soufriere Volcano eruption and increase resilience to other multi-hazard risks with focus on drought and extreme rainfall. 

Output 2: Capacity building of the most affected/ vulnerable local agriculture value chains (inclusive of women and youth and their micro, small and medium enterprises) to manage priority multi-hazard risks.

Output 3: Increased capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and the most affected/vulnerable farming communities to manage systemic multi-hazard risks (epidemics, climate, disaster, and food chain threats) and ensure linkages to the agriculture sector’s overall volcano eruption recovery and rehabilitation activities. 

Set- up and Planning 

The subprogramme is currently in its inception phase. It is coordinated by the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) and supported by a Task Force comprised of different FAO technical units and country offices. The Task Force is in the process of working with ministries and local stakeholders to design and target interventions.