Nutrition security: Sri Lanka and Barbados close food gaps toward affordability

Barbados has committed to improving food security and nutrition by 2030 with extended help from the UN World Food Programme (WFP). Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is ramping up independent efforts to secure affordable nutrition so its citizens meet their minimum food requirements.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s proposal to establish a Food Policy and Security Committee to ensure affordable, quality nutrition for all.

The committee’s main objectives will be to implement effective programs, maintain a reserve stock sufficient for at least three months, maintain a thorough data system on food stocks and increase domestic production. 

Sri Lanka will be developing its own food programs that ensure efficient products, storage, distribution, wholesale and retail marketing processes with private sector participation.

The group comprises relevant ministry secretaries and the Secretary to the Prime Minister.

WFP’s latest country brief on Sri Lanka reveals it is “recovering from its worst economic crisis since independence.” In 2022, food inflation reached 95% due to government default on foreign debts, but the nation has been stabilizing in 2024.

Barbados has signed a Letter of Understanding with the WFP.The report also reveals chronic malnutrition impacts 17% of children aged six to 59 months.  Four in ten households adopt livelihood- and food-based coping strategies, with climate risks posing further health and agricultural risks. According to UNICEF, strategies include withdrawing savings, borrowing money and purchasing food on credit.

Caribbean boosts nutrition efforts

Barbados has signed a Letter of Understanding with the WFP to improve the region’s food security and nutrition goals by 2030.

The humanitarian organization had also previously approved the US$69.5 million Caribbean Multi-Country Strategic Plan for 2022–2026.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, believes the partnership will help Barbados and the Caribbean region in meeting the 25 by 2025 initiative — reducing the region’s food import bill by 25%. It aims to “improve intra-regional trade and create wealth and economic opportunity for the agriculture sector.”

Symmonds underscored a target of overcoming a reliance on food imports, which he expects will ultimately “build out a stronger regional capacity.”

“We can do a lot in terms of making sure we have appropriate balance and payments…I think it is the most wonderful and generous contribution to our effort that we can now get US$69.5 million toward this region’s effort in that direction,” says Symmonds.

“So again, partnership with the WFP, in terms of security and sustainability, is really fundamental to our developmental effort.”

The organization’s country brief from last May shows 43% of people in the English-speaking Caribbean are facing food insecurity.

The islands are facing economic, financial, geographic and climate-related impacts, and 324 disasters have been recorded in 60 years. COVID-19’s effects negatively impacted the cost of living and food security.