CARDIs views on the threats to food security caused by environmental change

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CARDIs views on the threats to food security
caused by environmental change
Presented by Wendel Parham PhD Executive Director
Presented at GECAFS/SANREM CRSP Caribbean Project
Planning Workshop CARICOM Headquarters,
Georgetown, Guyana June 16-17
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CARDI is owned by 12 member countries of the
Caribbean most of which are small island states
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CARDIs member countries are
1. Prone to natural disasters
2. Vulnerable to disruptions in international
transport operations
3. Experiencing rising temperatures
CARDI has been involved with the preliminary work
which has been done by GECAFS in the Caribbean.
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CARDI has also been involved in disaster relief
co-ordination after hurricanes e.g., 1980s
St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica. 1990s
Jamaica, Montserrat. 2000s Antigua, St.
Kitts, Grenada
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CARDI is the chair of the Caribbean/Florida
Working Group on Invasive Species
CARDI has a project proposal for post disaster
restoration of farmers seed supply.
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FOOD SECURITY
There is much debate on what this means
Does it mean growing enough food to prevent
hunger/famine? If so the Caribbean is not food
secure.
Or does it mean having enough money to purchase
food to supplement the shortfall in local
production? If so the Caribbean is fairly food
secure at the moment as income from tourism is
used to import foods for residents and tourists.
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FOOD SECURITY
Even if the Caribbean is presently food secure,
it may not remain so if the effects of climate
change are felt.
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Effects of Climate Change
1. Warmer temperatures
2. More natural disasters (particularly
hurricanes)
3. Perhaps change in rainfall patterns
4. Coastal erosion
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Effects of Warmer Temperatures
1. Possible loss of plant species diversity
2. Loss of comparative advantage for growing
warm-weather crops
3. High sea temperatures will affect marine life
and fisheries
4. Tourists may not enjoy hot conditions
5. More energy needed to fuel cooling plants (air
conditioners, refrigerators) 6. Possible
increase in pests/diseases
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Effects of Natural Disasters
1. Tourist infrastructure destroyed or damaged
2. Tourists reluctant to visit in hurricane prone
months
3. Disruption to agricultural production.
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Effects of Warmer Seas
1. Migration of fish to cooler waters
2. Destruction of coral reefs this will affect
tourism
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Effects of Possible Rainfall Pattern Change
1. More difficult to grow crops which are now
rain-fed
2. More difficult to grow crops which give
reduced yields when rain is too high
3. Perhaps more need for irrigation, but water
for this may not be available
4. Perhaps more flooding
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Effects of Coastal Erosion
1. Loss of sandy beaches
2. Destruction of tourist plants
3. Loss of agricultural lands (e.g., seaside
coconut estates)
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Research/scientific work needed to improve food
security
1. Research into high temperature resistant/high
temperature preference varieties
2. Need for gene banks to preserve diversity
3. Need for seed banks to restart production
after disasters
4. Need scaled up forecasts to predict future
rainfall patterns
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Research/scientific work needed to improve food
security (continued)
5. Research on post harvest and value added
processes to encourage use of locally grown
foods 6. Biotechnology for quick response to
disasters and multiplication of planting
material 7. Control and management of invasive
species / new pests and diseases 8. Soil and
water management regimes 9. Controlled
environment food production (e.g. shade houses)
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A public relations campaign is needed so that
a. The public knows what is going to happen
b. Tourism investment is seen as risky in the
long term
c. Food security is seen to be heavily dependent
on local supplies
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THANK YOU
Improving Lives Through Agricultural Research