Get serious with food security

THE EDITOR: The country is facing a potentially grave problem and one which must be dealt with immediately by those in authority.

I speak of the threat by farmers to down tools in the face of recurring losses they are facing with these incessant floods and seemingly with no help forthcoming. Farmers, like everyone else, recognise that climate change is affecting our weather patterns and creating havoc on local food production.

It makes no sense just to talk about climate change – something tangible needs to be done. Simply put, those in authority need to recognise the urgent need to adapt to climate change and find ways to mitigate against losses.

Coupled with a very high food import bill, which is comfortably over $1 billion annually, the losses being faced by so many farmers are a wake-up call that action, and not just words, is needed.

If we do not have enough locally produced fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meat to feed our population, we face the very real possibility of vast sections of society having food insecurity.

We need to re-examine our drainage structure in order to adapt to climate change, which appears to mean a harsher rainy season with consequent worse flooding, which in turn is a clear and present danger to our agriculture industry.

Farmers downing tools could have a domino effect in that it could not only mean a higher food import bill but also more people being unable to afford basic food items, hunger, desperation and a worsening of the crime situation.

Our agriculture sector already gets one of the lowest allocations in the annual budget and if it is continually ill-treated we will all suffer as a nation.

We must remember that since the pandemic the entire world has been struggling to produce food. Russia's war with Ukraine has exacerbated that problem of global food security since Ukraine is a key wheat and grain producer and exporter. Many countries are cutting back on food exports, choosing instead to stock up for their local populations. What are we doing in TT to safeguard our food security? Food cards and food grants given to a select few will become obsolete since there will be nothing to exchange them for.

Government must get serious with the issue of food production and food security.

WAHID HOSEIN

Chaguanas