Building resilience to multiple shocks and stresses in the response and recovery from COVID-19 impacts in the Caribbean

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, this subprogramme 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.  

The subprogramme successfully enhanced DRM, community resilience, and agricultural sustainability across the target countries. It established a robust foundation for continued progress toward resilient and sustainable development, ensuring that vulnerable farming communities are more resilient in the face of future shocks and stresses.

Click here for the project document.