Agricultural Trade in SIDS: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

Brussels, Geneva, New York and Rome, 9 April 2024 – The sixth edition of the FAO SIDS Solutions Dialogue focused on agricultural trade trends, challenges, and opportunities specific to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The hybrid event held in Geneva explored the role of trade in transforming agrifood systems and its contribution to achieving food security and sustainable development. 

The meeting was co-organized by the FAO Liaison Offices in Brussels, Geneva and New York, and the Organization’s Office for SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs. In collaboration with FAO’s Markets and Trade Division, the event aimed to support preparations for the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), themed "Charting the course toward resilient prosperity," and scheduled from 27 to 30 May 2024, in Antigua and Barbuda.

Angélica Jácome-Daza, Director of the FAO Office of SIDS, LDCs, and LLDCs, moderated the event and emphasized the significance of international trade for the socio-economic development and resilience of SIDS. She highlighted that trade-related issues, among others, are included in the outcome document set for adoption at the upcoming SIDS4 Conference.  

Setting the scene for the dialogue, Boubaker Ben-Belhassen, Director of the FAO’s Markets and Trade Division, emphasized the considerable challenges faced by SIDS due to their small size and geographical remoteness from markets. He also underlined the crucial role of agricultural trade in ensuring food security and nutrition.

Mr Jo Spalburg, Secretary of the Caribbean Chamber of Commerce in Europe intervened and stressed the importance of empowering the Caribbean agriculture sector, highlighting priorities such as food security, embracing agritech for diversification, and strengthening ties with the tourism and energy sectors. 

The SIDS Solutions Dialogue further featured interventions from Her Excellency Usha Chandnee Dwarka-Canabady, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Mauritius to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Her Excellency Mere Falemaka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Pacific Islands Forum to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Tyesha Turner, Deputy Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva and Juan Cheaz Peláez, Economist at the FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean. 

In addition to the in-person attendance in Geneva, about 110 participants joined the event remotely. 

The recording of the session can be accessed here. (Password: EuRP5E@&)

About the SIDS Solutions Dialogue Series

In 2022, the SIDS Solutions Dialogue series, jointly organized by the FAO Liaison Offices in Brussels, Geneva and New York and the FAO Office of SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs was incorporated into the SIDS Solutions Platform.

The SIDS Solutions Platform was launched at the 2021 SIDS Solutions Forum, co-hosted by the Government of Fiji and FAO, in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union.

The SIDS Solutions Platform is a process that encompasses the Forum, a dedicated online platform and technical assistance to SIDS. It seeks to encourage innovative intra- and interregional knowledge exchange to incubate, promote, scale up and replicate locally grown ideas to accelerate the achievement of agriculture, food, nutrition, environment and health-related SDGs in SIDS.

The SIDS Dialogue Series has so far addressed the issues of disaster risk reduction, fisheries and aquaculture, climate change and nutrition, and trade.