Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Island state self-sufficiency

Sustainable development in general, implies that all three pillars of development that is, economy, society and environment must be sustainably and equitably resourced.

The same holds true for small island developing states (SIDS) but their conditions are quite unique and different from larger islands and other countries that form part of a continent. Whereas agriculture is very much an economic activity in continental economies, it is very much a social activity in islands and need to be treated as such. Social services such as health and education are highly subsidized by the state to meet the needs of the masses and the vulnerable. Although private clinics and private schools may exist to provide these social services, the state has an obligation to ensure that the whole of society has access to these services. In that light, if we accept that agriculture in SIDS is more of a social obligation rather than an economic activity, then we must design a framework to accommodate this sector at the national, regional and international arenas.   

Economy 

Many island economies including Seychelles depend on provision of services rather than exploitation of natural resources for economic growth. In many cases, the size of islands does not allow them to exploit natural resources to supply a large market such as an export market except of course fisheries products due to the vast EEZ of many islands. The EEZ of the Seychelles is some 1.4 Million SQ. KM. Some islands have developed niche markets for specialized products manufactured from the use of the islands unique resources. If these resources are not carefully managed, they are soon depleted. As a result the general trend is that small islands depend on tourism, financial services (and off-shore banking), industrial fisheries to grow the economy and in return import most of the food requirements.

Island populations are small in size and population, they have limited land area and much of the available man power is absorbed in the main economic sectors leaving very little for the development of other sectors such as agriculture, health or education. These islands therefore depend heavily on imported labor even for the economic activities but also on imported basic food, clothing and shelter materials. It is worth noting however that some SIDS have done very well for themselves in terms of economic growth. Some SIDS fall in the high income or high middle income brackets such as the Seychelles and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and Fiji in the Pacific yet they are plagued by nutritional challenges due to consumption of foods that lead to diet related diseases.

Social and society

Many SIDS are chronically affected by many of the social ills that affect larger countries, they have some of the highest global statistics on non-communicable diseases and incarceration rates. They are plagued by drugs, prostitution and broken or dysfunctional families. In an attempt to keep the small economy buoyant, very little financial resources are available for allocation to the support of social infrastructure (both hard and soft). Food and agriculture however is if special interest whereas agriculture is very much and economic activity in larger countries including larger islands, it is not the case in SIDS. In small societies, agriculture is very much a social support mechanism which is required to counter act the many negative impacts of importation of food.

Natural disasters

In the event of natural disasters including climate related disasters, SIDS  are really at the mercy of the importers since food reserves are minimal and there is rapid turnover with interspersed periods of no stocks at all. If ports/airports are destroyed and badly damaged by a natural disaster and the local production is insufficient to cover the transition or recovery period then a social disaster may occur.

Environment

Seychelles tourism rest upon the image of a pure, natural, clean environment and in order to maintain this image much resources including financial resources are used for environmental conservation activities. These activities could be made much more sustainable if the aspect of livelihoods through the use of the natural resources could be developed. Environmental conservation in Seychelles today is led mainly by state activities and non-government organizations (NGOs). Initiatives such as agroforestry and agro tourism are still very much in the pilot phases. Huge investments are made in conserving the environment but very little emphasis is placed on sustainable use of natural resources which could help to address the issue of agriculture and food security in SIDS.

For any SIDS to be self-sufficient it must be able to sustainably and adequately provide energy water and food to its population.

Energy

Many SIDS depend almost entirely on fossil fuels for energy production, very few produce fossil fuels and of those that do, yet fewer are able to refine locally. It is therefore necessary that SIDS develop alternative renewable energy resources. The current main choices are wave, wind, solar and possibly bio gas. In the context of wave and wind the technologies are relatively underdeveloped for commercial adoption and is very expensive. Solar and biogas provide more plausible options but on small islands the quantity of slurry or other inputs to bio gas production might be limited to produce energy on a large scale. Solar is thus the most feasible option to date and the cost to the consumer is not as prohibitive as other alternative energy options. Solar technology for energy production is well established and islands are blessed with copious amounts of sunshine for long hours.

Water

Although many SIDS have sufficient annual rainfall to meet its needs and more, it is not surprising that many do not have sufficiently developed capture and distribution infrastructure. As a result there are often times no supply in the midst of heavy rainfall. An efficient water system in SIDS do not have to be an elaborate system. Simple hydro technology along river ways could enhance storage and the use of extra storage options along river courses could be a cost effective and sustainable option. Many SIDS are blessed with an elaborate network of rivers and streams

Food

The majority of low income and low middle income households in SIDS are obliged to consume highly processed canned foods with high sugar and salt contents with many additives and preservatives. This is because food that is imported is costly, imported fresh fruits and vegetables may not endure the duration and conditions of sea travel and must be brought by air. The cost of freight is high and this impacts the final cost of the product. Many SIDS cannot and do not pay salaries that allow the vast majority of the population to enjoy imported  fresh, wholesome, natural, unprocessed food, including meat products. The irony is that the sea surrounding islands are teaming with healthy fish protein yet many islands have an undeveloped or underdeveloped artisanal fisheries sector but a better developed commercial fisheries sector that takes fresh fish to larger overseas markets for better profits. It is often the case in SIDS that the masses can better afford cheap imported chicken or other meats rather than fish. Apart from regular freight, insurance and other costs that affect food prices, these costs can be further increased due to “risks” and in the Indian Ocean an example is piracy or the physical state of the seas due to climate change. Many small islands do not have a sufficient volume of goods to ensure a regular and reliable sea transportation and are often at the mercy of shipping companies that ply the route only if and when it is profitable. It is therefore better economic sense for importers to bring canned and processed foods that have a longer shelf life.

For many social reasons including benefits to health, availability and accessibility to wholesome food and poverty alleviation it is necessary for SIDS to invest in a well-established agricultural sector and not as an economic activity that competes with other highly profitable investments like tourism or industrial fisheries but in such a way that the society can meet its international and national obligations on food and nutrition security.