Food Security in Trinidad and Tobago part 2
What do we know about Food Security?
With
the onset of the pandemic, we have learned the importance of food security. As
you go to the groceries, I am sure you have all noticed that some of the common
items you usually pick up are unavailable on the shelves. Most of these missing
items are imported products. As we know (from the previous article – Food
Security in Trinidad and Tobago), the Food Import Bill for Trinidad and Tobago
in 2019 was a staggering $5.67 Billion; but what exactly is the problem with
food security in Trinidad and Tobago? You may be surprised to know that
although 2.8 million people around the world suffer from obesity (WHO 2021), on
average about 9 million people die from starvation, most of which are children
(The World Count 2017). In this article, we will dive into the past and current
issues with Food Security in our nation and what we can do to improve it.
Figure 1: Free Range Stock 2021 |
Questions that pop up when we think about Food Security
These may
include:
Do
we have enough space to produce goods?
Do
we produce enough food right now?
Are
Trinibagonians under the impression that anything from foreign lands is better
than local?
Is
Trinidad and Tobago up to the task of achieving food security? How do we get
there?
Food Wastage
According
to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third (1/3)
of all food produced globally is WASTED. This amounts to approximately 1.3
billion tonnes of food per year (FAO 2011). Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul stated that
the Caribbean and Latin America alone accounts for 6% of global food wastage,
approximately 78 million tonnes. From this region, Trinidad and Tobago has been
deemed as the MOST wasteful country per capita. She further went on to say that
if we reduce the food and water wastage in Trinidad and Tobago by just 50%,
that quantity would be enough to supply all undernourished persons
(approximately 100,000 people) in the country with nourishment (The Borgen
Project 2017). This means that Trinidad and Tobago currently has enough food
for the entire nation as is but this includes imported goods.
Figure 2: Vatican News 2019 |
What can we do as citizens?
As
mentioned in the last article there are many local alternatives to the goods
that we import. By implementing Hydroponics in small or confined spaces we will
be able to produce a large quantity of goods without the need for a vast
expanse of land. However, this method is not applicable to all crops; for
example, vine crops and ground provisions cannot be grown hydroponically, land
is required (Rural Living Gardening 2021). As a nation, we can combat our
wasteful habits by making simple changes to our lifestyle. One suggestion that
can make a major impact on food wastage is meal planning. This will make it
easier to buy the produce you need and therefore result in less wastage.
Another suggestion is buying produce weekly instead of monthly. This will
ensure that goods are used within their peak freshness rather than be forgotten
about at the back of the refrigerator. The final suggestion is to cook only
what you need. Many times, especially in Trinidad and Tobago, the cultural norm
is to cook a little extra “because you never know who will pass by” but this
results in leftovers which usually stay in the refrigerator and is thrown out
by the end of the week.
Figure 3: Green Matters 2021 |
Next
week we will continue on our journey to Food Security in Trinidad and Tobago by
answering the questions: “Are Trinibagonians under the impression that anything
from foreign lands is better than local? Is Trinidad and Tobago up to the task of
achieving food security? And how do we get there?”
References
"Food Loss And
Food Waste". 2021. Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United
Nations. http://www.fao.org/food-loss-and-food-waste/flw-data).
"Obesity".
2021. Who.Int.
https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/6-facts-on-obesity#:~:text=At%20least%202.8%20million%20people%20each%20year%20die%20as,of%20being%20overweight%20or%20obese.
"The World
Counts". 2017. Theworldcounts.Com.
https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/people-and-poverty/hunger-and-obesity/how-many-people-die-from-hunger-each-year/story.
"Wasteful Hunger
In Trinidad And Tobago". 2017. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/hunger-in-trinidad-and-tobago/.
"What Cannot Be
Grown Hydroponically: Do's And Don'ts". 2021. Rural Living
Gardening | Hydroponics | Generators.
https://rurallivingtoday.com/hydroponics/what-cannot-be-grown-hydroponically/.
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