Outcome Statement of the Agri-Investment ForumHeld in Guyana from 19 to 21 May, 2022At the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo

A group of CARICOM Heads of Government met in Georgetown, Guyana on May 19 and 20,
2022 on the occasion of the “Agri-Investment Forum and Expo: Investing in Vision 25 by
2025”, organised by the Government of Guyana and the CARICOM Secretariat.
The Group took the opportunity of the important and timely Forum to discuss the current
grave global situation of the shortages and high prices of imported food fertilizers and other
agricultural inputs; and the severe problems affecting transportation and logistics.
They noted with great concern that CARICOM Member States continue to be deeply
impacted by these developments which have resulted in a dramatic increase in the cost of
food, exposing still further the region’s food insecurity due to its vulnerability to external
influences and the impact of climate change. The Group recognized that CARICOM member
states have the capacity to attain a high level of food security for the Community as a whole
provided that urgent action is taken to effectively implement necessary actions.
The Group agreed that lack of action to implement the 2005 “Framework for the
repositioning of Caribbean agriculture” (the Jagdeo initiative) which was agreed by
CARICOM Governments, delayed the Community’s capacity to safeguard against the impact
of the present crisis. In this connection, they again welcomed the timely and important
vision for agricultural development presented by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana,
to the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in March 2022.
They resolved to recommend, for the adoption by all CARICOM Heads of Government, the
following four priority areas to address food security urgently and sustainably, including
critically, setting and keeping deadlines for implementation:
Food insecurity
The agricultural plan, proposed by President Ali and agreed to by the CARICOM Heads of
Government Conference in March 2022, should be fully implemented as swiftly as possible,
with the continued involvement of all relevant stakeholders. In this regard, President Ali

was requested to mandate the Ministerial Task Force on Food Security to propose an
implementation schedule for urgent consideration by Heads of Government.
Regional Transportation
Recognizing that the lack of adequate regional transportation by sea and air is an obstacle to
the transportation of food within the region, and determined that it should be overcome
within the shortest possible time frame, Prime Minister of Barbados the Honourable Mia
Mottley, together with the Heads of Government in the quasi-Cabinet responsible for
Transport and Agriculture, have been requested to complete a proposal for establishing
adequate and sustainable regional transportation, after consultation with the Caribbean
private sector, the international donor community and multilateral development agencies,
for consideration by Heads of Government in July 2022. In making this recommendation,
the Group was heartened by the advice of the Caribbean Development Bank that it is willing
to use its best efforts to mobilise resources in this effort.
Trade Barriers
In considering that trade barriers, particularly non-tariff barriers, are one of the biggest
inhibitors to the development of the regional market for agriculture produce, and that
removing these barriers requires political consensus and determination, the Group
recommends that a Special Committee immediately prepare proposals with deadlines for
eliminating such trade barriers. The Special Committee should be convened by the Prime
Minister with Quasi Cabinet responsibility for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy,
and its proposals for implementation should be presented at a Special Meeting of Heads of
Government in the third quarter of 2022.

Women and Youth
Recognising and affirming the importance of the participation of women and youth in
agriculture – both to enlarge the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of
national economies and to empower the two groups to share in the earnings that can be
generated by a vibrant agricultural sector – the CARICOM Secretariat should be authorised
to commission an urgent study, for consideration by the Special Meeting of Heads of
Government proposed for the third quarter of this year, on ways to attract and expand the
participation of youth and women by at least 20% by 2025. The terms of reference of the
study should include mechanisms for providing access to finance; crop insurance; contract
purchasing of produce; and training especially including in the use of modern technology.
The Group of Heads of Governments emphasize the urgency in implementing the four
priority issues which they have identified as imperative to overcome the current grave
challenges of food shortages in a sustainable manner.
The Group noted the work of the Ministerial Task Force on Food production chaired by the
Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, in advising on the development
of a CARICOM food system. They welcomed with great appreciation the important and
timely initiative by President Ali of organising the “Agri-Investment Forum and Expo” from
which these deliberations and recommendations have been made. They looked forward
enthusiastically to maintaining the momentum, generated by this meeting, at a follow-up
“Agriculture and Food Security Forum” in Trinidad and Tobago in August 2022.
Georgetown, Guyana
21st May 2022

The post Outcome Statement of the Agri-Investment Forum
Held in Guyana from 19 to 21 May, 2022
At the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo first appeared on SKNIS.