In Barbados
Climate change can cause billions of dollars in losses in the Caribbean and changes need to be made for the future and present, according to Juan Cheaz Pelaez, senior programme coordinator of Agricultural Policy and Value Chains at the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation.
He said so in an interview yesterday at the Second Caribbean Agri-business Forum at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Barbados.
“The effects of climate change in the Caribbean represents over $100 billion in the period 1998 to 2002 and this amount until 2050 is estimated at $22 billion in losses. If we don’t do something about climate change this could set back the economies of the Caribbean,” he said.
Pelaez said nations were already seeing the effects, with the changing rain patterns, drought in the Caribbean and loss of crops.
“The issue is so complex to address and is not something that can be done by governments alone. All actors in society have to work together and government presenting policies, the consumers and individuals all have to work together,” he said.
Pelaez said that money had already been lost due to these conditions. “The patterns of life can be improved and consumption habits and in terms of our use of fossil fuels and explore alternative energies but it has to be done by everyone,” he said. He said climate change affected us all globally.
Governments in general have the duty to support the development and generating of policies to allow businesses to flourish, he said. On another issue, Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute executive director Barton Clarke, who was at the forum, said cross-border investment should be improved to move more produce between countries.
“Some of this happens in the region. More of that needs to happen. If we can do that and do it in an efficient way that does not disenfranchise domestic farmers it means less will come in from outside of the region. More of that needs to happen because it is one Caribbean,” he said.
He added, “However, we need to understand it is about increasing production, improving efficiency and improving trade particularly in the Caribbean and we have to deal with this food import bill.
“Farmers need all the support they can get and they receive incentives from the government. We are not endowed like Europe and I believe in Barbados farmers don’t get handouts. I believe the government is doing as much as they can but they can do more,” he said.