Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety commits to eliminating food risks

The Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety (CTFS) met for its 2025 annual meeting at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building at the UWI, St Augustine on June 3 and 4, and member organisations of the CTFS, including The UWI, have made a commitment to continue strengthening food safety systems in the Caribbean.

Established by Caricom in 2021 as a technical advisory body under the guidance of the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), the CTFS is tasked with harmonising food safety measures across the Caribbean. To achieve this, the CTFS is expected to work closely with regional and international food safety authorities to identify current and emerging food risks. Once risks are identified, the CTFS shall coordinate response and intervention methods by carrying out necessary tests, investing in the resources needed to respond to the identified risks and training programmes for stakeholders identified in the response.

Faculty of Food and Agriculture dean, Professor Mark Wuddivira said the UWI will continue to make its research, testing and human resources capabilities available to support the mission of the CTFS. “We have an MSc in Agri-Food Safety and Quality Assurance because we know that if food is not safe, it cannot be nutritious and it is not food," he said.

FFA describes the postgraduate diploma and MSc in Agri-Food Safety and Quality Assurance as programmes providing education, training and research in food safety and quality to stakeholders inclusive of farm managers, food processors, food service managers, nutritionists, regulators, public health inspectors, policy makers, importers and exporters who want to upgrade their skills. With the CTFS mandate in mind, graduates of these programmes are equipped to manage food safety from farm to table, undertake risk analysis and support responses to food safety risks.

CEO of the CAHFSA, Dr Gavin Peters said the CTFS mandate of bolstering the region's food safety and security has been made more urgent by recent regional climate-related disasters, public health threats like covid19 and disruptions in global supply chains. "These realities have highlighted the interdependence between food safety and resilience and the importance of embedding sustainability and consumer trust into our food systems. Resilient agri-food systems must ensure the safety of the food we produce, process, trade, and consume – in normal times and in crisis," Peters said.

Apart from undermining public health, Peters noted food-borne illnesses, contamination incidents, and unsafe practices also affect market confidence, food security, and economic development. As such, he called on all organisations at the annual meeting to collaborate to strengthen food safety systems through updated legislation, enhanced surveillance, more thorough inspection, increased laboratory capacity, and investments in emergency response systems.

Issuing a wider call, Peters reminded consumers that they also had a role to play in safeguarding regional food safety.

"A resilient food system is not only about producers and regulators... it is also about informed and empowered consumers. People must have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to make safe and healthy food choices." Peters also highlighted public education, labelling transparency, traceability systems and risk communication as essential components of food system transformation.

Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Ravi Ratiram confirmed the presence of regional organisations at the meeting underscored the importance of a unified approach to addressing food safety challenges in the Caribbean. Minister Ratiram said, "From input suppliers to processors to consumers, from enforcement to education, ensuring the safety of the food we consume requires a broad coalition of stakeholders working together. It is time we move away from siloed discussions and instead bring all stakeholders together to have one conversation that is focused, co-ordinated and action-orientated."

Recognising that the CTFS provides a platform for stakeholders to come together, he reminded organisations supporting the CTFS' work that shared responsibility and collective will build resilient, sustainable agri-food systems.

Sub-regional coordinator of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Dr Renata Clarke applauded the actions of the CTFS as being crucial in "future-proofing" regional food systems. "Something that I have underlined on several occasions is the need to 'future proof' food safety. If we are producing and handling foods in new ways. If our environments and our food systems are changing, we cannot expect the same old programmes and practices to provide an acceptable level of consumer protection."

Clarke said the CTFS and its members are responsible for ensuring decision-makers and consumers alike are conscious of the relevance of food safety in the context of the region's broader political or economic goals. She added, "The more people understand food safety, recognise the roles of different players and the consequences of poor risk management, the more each individual is likely to constructively engage to ensure that food is safe for everyone, everywhere. In the Caribbean, you (the CTFS) are the catalyst for this consciousness."