Foreign Minister to attend high-level meeting on food security, climate adaptation

Georgetown: Foreign Affairs Minister and Second Vice President Carl Greenidge is set to represent Guyana in Milan, Italy, at a Ministerial Meeting, on Food Security and Climate Adaptation in Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), scheduled for October 14 to 16.

This meeting will offer SIDS Ministers and Ambassadors the opportunity to explore the implications of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, as it relates to food security and nutrition and climate change adaptation, with the overall objective being that of enhancing food security, and health and well-being in SIDS.

The meeting will focus on five major areas: Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries; Nutrition; Livelihoods, especially for women; Access to Food, inclusive of global and domestic trade (with regard to price volatility of food imports and commodities, as well as reliability of transport networks); and Resilience of Agriculture and Fisheries to climate change, ocean acidification and disaster sessions.

The format of the meetings encourages a high level of interaction and networking to ideally allow SIDS delegates to learn and exchange ideas, as well as develop and pursue possible partnerships, to advance food security in SIDS. A Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-led forum on food and nutrition challenges facing SIDS will be featured on the first day, as called for in paragraph 61 of the SAMOA Pathway. The Milan Expo, with its theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” will provide an excellent backdrop for raising the profile of SIDS issues and related food security challenges.

Ministers and Ambassadors would have space to share experiences and present initial plans for national and regional level implementation, and to articulate areas where further support and capacity development are needed. Perspectives from leading experts in the field of food security, and from representatives of Rome-based United Nations entities, other relevant regional and global bodies, the Private Sector and partner Governments will be included as well.