The National Agriculture and Trade Show was held this past weekend under the theme, “Integrating Sustainable Food Systems: Mitigating Climate Change, Strengthening Agricultural Resilience”.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, this year’s show welcomed and hosted over 41,000 visitors, regional delegates, and guests. In its press release, the ministry said it thanked all those who attended the show as well as the committee members who gave their time and energy to help plan and coordinate this year’s event.
The drawing for the raffle of the 2024 Ford Ranger pickup truck was postponed. The ministry said that “at the time of drawing, the minimum threshold for tickets sold had not been met, hence the decision to postpone was made. Given the concerns of entrants and with consideration for the reputation and brand image of the supporting partners, namely BEC and DigiWallet, the Ministry assures that this was a legitimate undertaking that will proceed and for which there will be a winner. Tickets bought have been secured and will remain valid. Ticket sales will resume with the raffle scheduled for May 24, 2024.”
According to a new special report by the agencies, the cost of inaction on hunger and food insecurity represents an average of 6.4% of the GDP of the countries studied.
The new report Financing Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean, jointly produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the World Food Program (WFP) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), warns that the costs of not combating hunger and malnutrition may be higher than the costs of solutions to ensure food security and better nutrition.
According to the report, the cost of inaction in the face of the impact of hunger and malnutrition represents an average of 6.4% of the GDP of the countries studied. In contrast, the average cost of working to close the income gap with transfers for access to healthy diets is 1.5% of GDP, not including management and implementation costs.
The report identifies different types of financing for food security and nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean and their relationship to regional GDP: (i) financing of food consumption and production; (ii) public spending related to agricultural and non-contributory social protection expenditures; (iii) international development flows; and (iv) financing from the banking system and capital markets.
The publication highlights the importance of investing in agriculture and the need for other interventions to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition. It shows that the main problem does not stem from a food shortage, but from a lack of physical and economic access, especially in rural areas with high level of poverty. The document underlines the need to estimate the costs associated with implementing policies, programs, and interventions as a prior element to analyzing food security and nutrition financing. It also highlights the importance of improving information collection on the different financing flows.
“Aligning social, economic, and trade policies and the objectives of improving food security and nutrition in our Latin America and the Caribbean region is critical, even more so when food spending represents 22% of regional GDP,” said Mario Lubetkin, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Mario Lubetkin, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Lubetkin also emphasized that comprehensive interventions that address income and access to nutritious food, consumer preferences, regulations on nutritional front-end food labeling, and support to family farming through public procurement systems can contribute to strengthening agrifood systems and equitable access to healthy diets.”
For his part, ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs indicated that “the incidence of extreme poverty in the region was 11.4% in 2023, according to ECLAC estimations, which means that more than 70 million people in the region do not have sufficient income to purchase a basic food basket.”
“That incidence is higher among women, the indigenous population, and people living in rural areas. Therefore, it is imperative to foster inclusive public policies and promote better targeting of public spending, which can directly impact populations in vulnerable situations. Currently, more than half of all cash transfers in Latin America and the Caribbean go to households with per capita incomes above the poverty line,” said Salazar-Xirinachs.
ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs
“Lack of income to access a healthy and nutritious diet is among the main causes of hunger and food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean. In fact, this region has the most expensive healthy diet in the world,” said Lola Castro, WFP regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, adding that ‘it is unacceptable that the most vulnerable populations continue to pay such a high cost on account of undernutrition, overweight and obesity or double burden of malnutrition when the continent produces enough food to feed its entire population.’
The Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero, said that “the task ahead of us now is to conduct similar analyses at the country level in the context of comprehensive plans and programs for strengthening and improving food systems, operationalizing the objectives, instruments and institutional framework, with a clear estimate of costs and, of course, their financing, taking a broad view of the six main financial flows, as set out in the document.
Israel has expressed concerns over potential arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) targeting government officials for actions during its conflict with Hamas. The ICC is investigating Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7 and Israel’s subsequent military operations in Gaza.
In response to reports that the ICC may issue warrants against senior Israeli officials, Foreign Minister Israel Katz urged Israeli embassies to enhance security due to the risk of increased antisemitism. Katz emphasized Israel’s expectation that the ICC refrain from targeting its political and security leaders. He said that Israel is determined to resist any such actions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that ICC decisions would not impact Israel’s policies but could establish a dangerous precedent. Israeli officials fear potential arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others over alleged violations in Gaza. The ICC is also reportedly considering warrants for Hamas leaders.
Israel, not a member of the ICC, disputes its jurisdiction, but Palestinian territories were admitted as a member state in 2015. The U.S., an ally of Israel and not an ICC member, does not support the investigation.
U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues, penned a letter to the Biden Administration. They expressed their endorsement for giving more attention to Belize within the U.S. strategy aimed at tackling the underlying causes of irregular migration. The letter underscores Belize as a key democratic ally of the United States and emphasizes the necessity for heightened focus and resources to counter the increasing menace posed by foreign malign and criminal elements.
“Belize is experiencing a rise in the same risk factors that have negatively impacted its neighbors including: transnational criminal activity, high homicide rates, large swaths of ungoverned territory including porous and sparsely-populated borders, and ineffective law enforcement and judicial institutions,” wrote the lawmakers. “The Government of Belize has demonstrated a strong willingness to work with the United States and the international community to address these vulnerabilities.”
“Belize continues to demonstrate a commitment to shared ideals and global alliances with the United States, making it a partner that is increasingly rare in the region. Belize’s continued diplomatic ties with Taiwan shows its shared values of democracy, self-determination and respect for international law; with democracy in decline in so many countries throughout the world, we must not take these values for granted, and work with the government to counter the People’s Republic of China’s continued efforts to negatively influence the region,” continued the lawmakers.
“We believe there are a number of ways the Administration could signal our ongoing partnership and commitment to the relationship, including a Security and Strategic Dialogue, support for a multi-year national security strategy and a U.S. commitment to support its implementation.”
