Success of CWA Will Be Determined By Action – Minister

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says the success of the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) will be determined by the action that follows the regional discussions.

Addressing the opening of CWA 2026 at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny on September 27, he said that while the forum provides an important platform for dialogue among agricultural stakeholders, greater emphasis must be placed on implementing decisions that advance the sector.

“The true measure of CWA 2026 will not be the quality of our conversations here in Jamaica, but what follows,” Mr. Green said.

The Minister noted that the Caribbean has tremendous agricultural potential, supported by its people, knowledge and capacity for innovation, realising that potential, however, will require sustained investment, stronger regional cooperation and implementation, he said.

The Minister pointed out that the CWA has, over successive stagings, served as an important platform for advancing elements of the region’s agricultural transformation.

Among the initiatives advanced since previous stagings, he identified the Regional Trade Enhancement Mechanism, CARICOM E-Agriculture Strategy, E-Agriculture Implementation Committee and Regional Electronic Agricultural Marketing Information System.

“These developments are important because they demonstrate the role that CWA can play in moving our regional agricultural agenda,” Mr. Green said.

He further noted that the forum has evolved against the background of agriculture becoming increasingly connected to some of the Caribbean’s most consequential development priorities.

These include the region’s ability to feed itself, create sustainable livelihoods, generate economic opportunities, strengthen rural communities and build greater resilience and self-reliance.

Minister Green said that although regional cooperation has advanced significantly since the establishment of Caribbean Week of Agriculture, the work required to transform the sector has become more urgent and complex.

Agriculture, he said, is now being required to meet greater expectations while operating within an increasingly uncertain global environment.

This requires the region to examine its approaches to production, investment, trade and technology, as well as the protection of agricultural food systems against shocks.

Mr. Green said stakeholders attending CWA 2026 should, therefore, remain focused on ensuring that the deliberations result in action that can accelerate agricultural development.

The six-day CWA event is being held from September 27 to October 2 under the theme ‘The New FACE of Caribbean Food Systems’.