Ministers of Agriculture from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will meet in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 11 October 2024 in a special session of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). The Ministerial Meeting is the final activity of the 18th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) now underway in Kingstown.

A key Agenda item will be an update from the Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security. CARICOM Heads of Government have pinpointed food and nutrition security as a priority for the Region.

Discussions will also focus on trade in agricultural products; the development of the blue economy and the regional fisheries sector; and agriculture health and food safety.

Ahead of the Special COTED, agriculture officials met on 20 September in hybrid format under the chairmanship of Nela Dwarika-Ali, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries of Trinidad and Tobago, to lay the foundation for the ministerial session.  The Permanent Secretary positioned the preparatory meeting in the context of the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl and the “final leg” of the 25 by 2025 Initiative. Ms Dwarika-Ali also urged the officials to focus on the ultimate objectives of sustainability, improving the returns and livelihoods of the farmers and others agri-food producers, and bringing benefits to consumers and regional economies.

This Special COTED will be chaired by the Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour of St Vincent and the Grenadines.