Transcript CARIBBEAN FOOD SYSTEM ISSUES

CECAFS COMPREHENSIVE SCENARIOS
INITIAL WORKSHOP
18-19 AUGUST 2003
UNIVERSITY OF READING, UNITED
KINGDOM
“COMPREHENSIVE SCENARIOS”
DEVELOPMENT FOR GECAFS
R C Harrison
Ministry of Agriculture
Jamaica
CARIBBEAN FOOD SYSTEM
ISSUES
Issues of Importance for the
Caribbean
• The adaptation and development of new
varieties of crops to withstand increasing
temperature and at the same time
produce satisfactory yields.
– This requires the development of varieties
that will produce acceptable yields outside
the temperature range which is now
considered optimum for present day
varieties
– This brings into focus, the role of
biotechnology in advancing the necessary
adaptations
to
climatic
change,
notwithstanding the controversy which
surrounds this issue.
• The development of drought tolerant
crops in response to the increasing
frequency and severity of droughts in the
region.
– Droughts are now considered as one of the
vary visible manifestations of climate change
in the region.
 Breeding heat tolerance in all classes of
livestock being produced in the region
with the objective of genetically
incorporating the ability to produce
under increasing conditions of heat
stress.
• Research in the development of cost
effective climate controlled environments
for intensive food production systems as a
mitigating measure for the increasingly
adverse production environments.
• The need for scientific information on the
effects of rising sea temperatures on fish
stocks. There is a lack of scientific data
to guide the planning for the development
of the fishery
sub sector in most
Caribbean countries
Research capacity development with special
emphasis on regional climate change and food
production systems issues.
There is a lack of comprehensive knowledge that is
necessary to accurately predict the effects of global
climatic change on Caribbean Food Systems.
In this regard, I would like to see GECAFS
investing some time not only in carrying out the
research but also in transferring the capability and
expertise for this research and for medium to long
term evaluation of climate change and its effect on
food systems.