Green champions Caribbean irrigation, investment priorities at FAO food forum

Jamaica last week underscored its leadership in advancing climate-resilient agriculture and regional food security during the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum 2025, a flagship event of the World Food Forum (WFF) held at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome.

Floyd Green, the minister of agriculture, fisheries and mining, led Jamaica’s delegation and delivered a key intervention during a high-level panel on ‘Water Scarcity, Climate Uncertainty and the Fight Against Poverty in SIDS: The Critical Role of Irrigation in the Caribbean Region’.

Green’s participation highlighted Jamaica’s commitment to transforming agrifood systems through strategic investments in irrigation, digitalisation and infrastructure, essential tools in building climate resilience and reducing food import dependence across the Caribbean.

“As small island developing states, our reality is shaped by water scarcity, climate uncertainty and the urgent need to build resilient food systems. For us, irrigation is the backbone of agricultural transformation. And through this regional project, we are taking a decisive step to turn water scarcity into opportunity,” Green said.

He emphasised that Jamaica, along with Barbados, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, is spearheading a regional agenda aligned with the CARICOM 25 by 2025 initiative, which aims to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. Strengthening irrigation systems, he noted, is pivotal to empowering smallholder farmers, enhancing productivity and replacing costly food imports with locally produced crops.

The minister also showcased Jamaica’s strong track record in agricultural development, including record domestic crop production levels, major irrigation infrastructure investments, and significant public sector support to farmers. These achievements lay the groundwork for transformative initiatives such as the Lucky Hill Pen Project, which will irrigate 400 hectares of farmland, directly support 200 farming families, and increase crop productivity by up to 60 per cent.

“Barbados, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines are ready to lead this regional shift. We have the market, the infrastructure, the technology, and the will. Now, we are inviting partners to join us in making water work for Caribbean agriculture,” the minister concluded.

The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, a central component of the World Food Forum, serves as a global platform for governments to present investment-ready agrifood projects developed under the FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative.

Dr Ana Touza, FAO representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Belize, was also in attendance, reinforcing the FAO’s continued partnership with the Government of Jamaica in advancing sustainable agriculture, food security, and resilience-building efforts in the Caribbean.