Major Characteristics of Major Characteristics of Caribbean Food Systems: Caribbean Food Systems:

Trade/Imports; Subsistence; Trade/Imports; Subsistence; and Nutritionand Nutrition

Dr. Sharon HutchinsonDr. Sharon HutchinsonOn Behalf of Dr. Ranjit SinghOn Behalf of Dr. Ranjit Singh

Department of Agricultural Economics and Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI, St. AugustineExtension, UWI, St. Augustine

Global Environmental Change and Food Systems Global Environmental Change and Food Systems (GECAFS)(GECAFS)

First Caribbean Scenarios MeetingFirst Caribbean Scenarios MeetingKingston, Jamaica Sept 1-3 2005Kingston, Jamaica Sept 1-3 2005

Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

• Definition and conceptual map of food Definition and conceptual map of food systemssystems

• Characteristics of Caribbean economisCharacteristics of Caribbean economis

• Characteristics of Caribbean food Characteristics of Caribbean food systemssystems

• Sources of vulnerabilitySources of vulnerability

• Conclusion Conclusion

Food Systems – A DefinitionFood Systems – A Definition

• Food systems are a set of dynamic Food systems are a set of dynamic interactions between and within the interactions between and within the biophysical and human environments that biophysical and human environments that result in the production, processing, result in the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption distribution, preparation and consumption of food. of food. (GECAFS – Science Plan and Implementation Strategy)(GECAFS – Science Plan and Implementation Strategy)

• These systems encompass:These systems encompass:– Food availabilityFood availability– Food accessFood access– Food utilizationFood utilization

Food Availability• Production• Distribution• Exchange

Elements of the Food Elements of the Food SystemSystem

Food Access• Affordability• Allocation• Preference

Food Utilization• Nutritional value• Social value• Food safety

The Food Supply ChainThe Food Supply Chain

Imports

Production

Marketing Intermediaries

Market Consumers

Overview of Sources of Overview of Sources of VulnerabilityVulnerability

Env. Damage/ Climate Change

Global Supply

GlobalDemand

Price

Middlemen ConsumersReal

Income

LocalDemand

LocalSupply Production

Infrastructure

Imports

+ +

Country Profile Table - Country Profile Table - CARICOM CARICOM (Physical)(Physical)

Country Population, Total (2002)Surface area

(sq. km.)

Antigua & Barbuda 76,485 442

Barbados 312,000 431

Dominica 71,079 750

Grenada 102,638 345

Guyana 774,800 214,970

Jamaica 2641600 10,991

St. Kitts & Nevis 46,710 269

St. Lucia 159,133 616

St. Vincent 109,164 389

Trinidad & Tobago 1,282,447 5,128

Country GDP and GDP per Country GDP and GDP per capita (2002)capita (2002)

724

2,608

255 403

8,512

354 675 362

10,848

729

9,630

3,9263,251

7,583

941

8,459

4,239

3,320

3,584

9,461

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Antigua

& B

arbud

a

Barbad

os

Dominica

Grena

da

Guyan

a

Jam

aica

St. Kitts

& N

evis

St. Lu

cia

St. Vinc

ent

Trinid

ad &

Tob

ago

GDP (current US mn$) GDP/capita US$

Country GDP Growth Rates Country GDP Growth Rates and Inflation Rates (2002)and Inflation Rates (2002)

2.1

-4.7

1.1 1.00.1

1.6

0.8-1.1-0.4 -0.1

14.1

0.8

4.1

1.1 0.20.2

1.5

7.1

2.2

-0.2

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

Per

cen

tag

e

Rate of GDP Growth (%) Inflation Rate (%)

Importance of AgricultureImportance of Agriculture

• Variable by country re: contribution to GDPVariable by country re: contribution to GDP• High for the region as a whole (GDP High for the region as a whole (GDP

contribution)contribution)• High employment – directly and indirectlyHigh employment – directly and indirectly• Dominant in terms of resource useDominant in terms of resource use• Main plantation crops:Main plantation crops:

– Sugar caneSugar cane– BananaBanana– RiceRice– coconutcoconut

Agriculture Contribution: GDP Agriculture Contribution: GDP (2003)(2003) and Employment and Employment (1991-2002)(1991-2002)

7.54.8 4.8

11.1

2.5

40.4

9.1

17.7

3.3 3.7

19.9

14.7

24.9

7.8

13.8

21

4.04.2

23.1

20.8

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Antigua

& B

arbud

a

Barbad

os

Dominica

Grena

da

Guyan

a

Jam

aica

St. Kitts

& N

evis

St. Lu

cia

St. Vinc

ent

Trinid

ad &

Tob

ago

Per

cen

tag

e

Agriculture, Proportion of GDP in Constant 1990 Market Prices (%)*

Employed Labour Force in Agriculture (%)

CARICOM* Food Trade In The Caribbean (2001) - % of All Trade

Food Total

Imports $1,330,361,603 $9,555,072,979

Exports $849,115,113 $5,980,856,678

* Excludes Antigua and Guyana

Production Characteristics – Production Characteristics – Dominica CaseDominica Case

• Very small farms on fragmented Very small farms on fragmented holdings (74% of farmers hold < 5 holdings (74% of farmers hold < 5 acres)acres)

• 9,026 farm households (1995)9,026 farm households (1995)

• Like other OECS countries, most of the Like other OECS countries, most of the land occupied by small farmers is in land occupied by small farmers is in mountainous areas of hillside slopesmountainous areas of hillside slopes

• Over reliance on a single cropOver reliance on a single crop

Production Characteristics – Production Characteristics – Dominica Case (2)Dominica Case (2)

• Lack of fertile landLack of fertile land

• High transportation costs due to High transportation costs due to mountainous terrainmountainous terrain

• Poor land tenurePoor land tenure

• Low technology systemsLow technology systems

Recent Trends in Main Recent Trends in Main Agricultural Commodities - Agricultural Commodities - BananasBananas exportexport pricesprices employmentemployment competition (especially new WTO competition (especially new WTO

rules)rules)

Recent Trends in Main Recent Trends in Main Agricultural Commodities – Agricultural Commodities – Sugar CaneSugar Cane• Significant Significant in income in income

• Further 39% Further 39% prices (January 2006) prices (January 2006)

• Already approx. 25% Already approx. 25% in income in in income in the last 4 yrsthe last 4 yrs

competition from other competition from other sweeteners sweeteners

Recent Trends in Main Recent Trends in Main Agricultural Commodities – Agricultural Commodities – CoconutCoconut competition from Soya bean and competition from Soya bean and

corn oilcorn oil fears of ill healthfears of ill health incidence of disease in cropincidence of disease in crop

Recent Trends in Main Recent Trends in Main Agricultural Commodities – Agricultural Commodities – RiceRice

• Problems of global oversupplyProblems of global oversupply pricesprices

Non-Traditional Non-Traditional Commodities?Commodities?• Production and exports not impressiveProduction and exports not impressive exports of three important non-exports of three important non-

traditional exports (mangoes, plantains, traditional exports (mangoes, plantains, root crops)root crops)

production in the poultry sector (esp. production in the poultry sector (esp. Jamaica and Dominican RepublicJamaica and Dominican Republic

• Exports of fishery products appear stableExports of fishery products appear stable• The Caribbean is not seizing opportunities The Caribbean is not seizing opportunities

in non-traditional, more processed food or in non-traditional, more processed food or import substitutesimport substitutes

A Look At The Components Of A Look At The Components Of Food SupplyFood Supply

• Own production (backyard/ Own production (backyard/ subsistence farming)subsistence farming)

• Community productionCommunity production

• National productionNational production

• Imports (regional and international)Imports (regional and international)

• Food aidFood aid

How Can We Categorize Food How Can We Categorize Food Systems?Systems?

• UrbanUrban

• RuralRural– Non-coastalNon-coastal– CoastalCoastal

Characteristics Of Urban Food Characteristics Of Urban Food Sub-systemSub-system

• Very low/ nil own productionVery low/ nil own production

• Very low/ nil community productionVery low/ nil community production

• Largely national/ international food Largely national/ international food sourcessources

• Driven by consumer incomeDriven by consumer income

• Very vulnerableVery vulnerable

Characteristics Of Rural (Non-Characteristics Of Rural (Non-coastal) Food Sub-systemcoastal) Food Sub-system

• Income generating activities usually based on:Income generating activities usually based on:– Traditional export crops (e.g. sugarcane, bananas)Traditional export crops (e.g. sugarcane, bananas)– Non-traditional commoditiesNon-traditional commodities

• Low community production of non-market cropsLow community production of non-market crops

• Largely national/ international food sourcesLargely national/ international food sources

• Access to food based on wageAccess to food based on wage

• Fairly vulnerableFairly vulnerable

Characteristics Of Rural Characteristics Of Rural (Coastal) Food Sub-system(Coastal) Food Sub-system• Food system highly characterized by fish and Food system highly characterized by fish and

other seafood resources which account for the other seafood resources which account for the major source of proteinmajor source of protein

• Income generating activities usually based on:Income generating activities usually based on:– Seafood productionSeafood production– Coconut productionCoconut production

• Low community production of non-market cropsLow community production of non-market crops• Largely national/ international food sourcesLargely national/ international food sources• Access to food based on wageAccess to food based on wage• Usually very low mean wages and poor political Usually very low mean wages and poor political

powerpower• Very vulnerableVery vulnerable

Geographical And Socio-economic Geographical And Socio-economic Characteristics of SIDS Which Characteristics of SIDS Which Increases Vulnerability To Climate Increases Vulnerability To Climate ChangeChange

• Narrow economic baseNarrow economic base– Traditional exports and tourismTraditional exports and tourism

• Low productivity and productionLow productivity and production– Plantation and small rain-fed agriculture Plantation and small rain-fed agriculture

• Economic dependence on larger countries for Economic dependence on larger countries for markets and investmentsmarkets and investments– Imports; loss of trade preferences/ competitiveness; Imports; loss of trade preferences/ competitiveness;

changes in trade policies; declining priceschanges in trade policies; declining prices

• Increased pressure on natural resource baseIncreased pressure on natural resource base• Increased incidence of pockets of povertyIncreased incidence of pockets of poverty• Fragile coastal systemsFragile coastal systems• Growing non-healthy food choicesGrowing non-healthy food choices

PovertyPoverty

• Approx. 25% of the total population Approx. 25% of the total population in the Caribbean (more than 7 mill in the Caribbean (more than 7 mill people), can be classified as poor people), can be classified as poor (World Bank Poverty Head Count Index)(World Bank Poverty Head Count Index)

• % Population below National Poverty % Population below National Poverty Line (1989-1994)Line (1989-1994)– Suriname : 47%Suriname : 47%– Guyana : 43%Guyana : 43%– Haiti : 60%Haiti : 60%

NutritionNutrition

• In the last 25-30 yrs, the incidence of In the last 25-30 yrs, the incidence of energy-protein mal-nutrition and infectious energy-protein mal-nutrition and infectious disease has declineddisease has declined

• This has been replaced by non-This has been replaced by non-communicable, nutrition-related chronic communicable, nutrition-related chronic diseases as the major cause of deathdiseases as the major cause of death– ObesityObesity– High blood pressure/ heart diseaseHigh blood pressure/ heart disease– DiabetesDiabetes

ConclusionConclusion

• The food subsystems that rely heavily The food subsystems that rely heavily on imports will be extremely vulnerableon imports will be extremely vulnerable

• Changes in the food system must be Changes in the food system must be assessed from both a global and assessed from both a global and localized perspective.localized perspective.

• In the short run, the erosion of In the short run, the erosion of purchasing power may have the purchasing power may have the biggest potential to destabilize biggest potential to destabilize Caribbean food systemsCaribbean food systems

Thank You!Thank You!

Major Characteristics of Caribbean Food Major Characteristics of Caribbean Food Systems: Trade/Imports; Subsistence; Systems: Trade/Imports; Subsistence;

and Nutrition and Nutrition

Dr. Sharon HutchinsonDr. Sharon HutchinsonOn Behalf of Dr. Ranjit SinghOn Behalf of Dr. Ranjit Singh

Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI, St. AugustineSt. Augustine