Country information: Jamaica, Bahamas and Belize

Natural resource management is at the heart of agricultural development and food security for Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize. Agriculture and fisheries are the backbone of all three economies, but sectoral contributions to export revenues have declined in favour of tourism, remittances and, in the case of Jamaica, bauxite mining.

All three small developing states share a strategy of agricultural diversification to reduce dependency on tourism and imports of chemical pesticides. And yet they are keenly aware of the potential of high-end eco-tourism to complement subsistence agricultural and fisheries activities, support efforts to preserve biodiversity and respect local cultures and cuisines.

Preservation of genetic diversity and biodiversity is essential for the two Small Island Developing States, Jamaica and the Bahamas. It is also a key strategy of the Government of Belize. All three countries are vulnerable to rising sea levels as a result of global climate change and to an increase in unpredictable or severe weather events such as those brought on by the El Niño phenomenon.

As members of several regional fora such as the Commonwealth, CARICOM or the OAS, all three countries can mitigate the disadvantage of their small size or island status through integration into wider confederations of interest. Globalisation brings new challenges, but technology can ensure that small, biodiverse states can sustainably exploit the opportunities that also come in its wake.