The World University Service of Canada (WUSC Dominica) hosted a national Dialogue today on Forging Strong Linkages between Local Agriculture Producers and Buyers “Inclusive of Women and Youth”.
Dr. Nadia Anselm Pacquette Country Coordinator OECS, WUSC Caribbean (Dominica) says the need for building alliances between rural producers, producer organizations and buyers are becoming more and more evident in order to reduce food insecurities both at the national and household levels.
Dr. Anselm says Agro processors, Farmers and Agri-preneurs inclusive of women and youth are challenged by many factors with agricultural production including economies of scale, natural disasters pest and diseases, climate change patterns and limited use of technology.
She said that is further worsened by a lack of coherent and consistent markets and recent levels of rising food prices which have created challenges to efforts at reducing food insecurity.
Dr. Anselm said the need to reduce the regions 5 billion dollars food import bill coupled with that of the Eastern Caribbean’s 1 million dollars annually, has led to the need for such consultations seeking to find tangible solutions to the regions concerns over food security.
World University Service of Canada WUSC Caribbean (Dominica) is implementing a five-year project – the Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean (SAC) project, with funding from Global Affairs Canada, which will promote climate-resilient agriculture for equitable economic growth to increase the economic prosperity of women and youth (female & male) in more sustainable agricultural markets.
