FAO and Caribbean experts exchange experiences in the webinar to introduce the course “Adequate Food: The Human Right of Us All”
On 1 February 2024, the Development Law Service of FAO’s Legal Office (LEGN) hosted a webinar to launch its new e-learning, “Adequate Food: The Human Right of Us All,” tailored to the Caribbean region.
During the event, FAO revealed that 61.8percent of the Caribbean population faces moderate or severe food insecurity. With the highest diet costs in Latin America and the Caribbean, 57percent of the population is unable to afford a healthy diet. Particularly concerning is the prevalence of malnutrition among women, with one in every four women suffering from anaemia. This underscores a significant challenge in ensuring food security and nutrition in the region.FAO LEGN alsoprovided an overview of the e-learningon theright to adequate food, and emphasized FAO’s commitmentsin that regard, notably in light of the 20th anniversary of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on the Right to Food in 2024.
Milagro Matus, Deputy Programme Manager in Agriculture and Agro-Industrial Development of CARICOM outlined initiatives aimed at addressing food security challenges amidst climate change and economic pressures. She highlighted CARICOM’s 25 by 2025 initiative, aimed at reducing the food import bill by 25 percent by 2025.Omadatt Chandan, Legal Officer atGuyana’s Ministry of Agriculture, provided insights into Guyana’s comprehensive efforts, including proposed legislation to safeguard the right to adequate food, as well as initiatives to promote smart agricultural practices.Maisha Hutton, Executive Director of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, underscored the pivotal role of civil society organizations in advancing food security initiatives, highlighting specific advocacy efforts such as front-of-pack nutritional labelling and restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children.
The webinar fostered meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange among participants.