No region and no people will be free and autonomous until food sovereignty as “the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems” is attained. In the Caribbean, the legacy of the colonial plantations, the opening of food markets to global trade and real estate growth have created a condition where land, water and sea are not integrated into regional food systems that feed the people, but enclosed as resources that satisfy other interests.
High dependence on imported food, the impoverishment of soil and marine ecosystems, high prices of food and high fragility in case of shocks like Covid-19 are just some of the realities experienced by Caribbean people across the region. In this way, the whole region is kept in a condition of dependency that denies people’s right to self-determination and the completion of a true decolonial project. The promotion of regional food sovereignty across land and sea, based on the principles of agroecology, human rights and accessibility, is therefore the first step towards a just future for the Caribbean region.
Uphold the principles and right of self-determination and dignity for all communities, particularly in relation to land, access to marine ecosystems and the establishment of self-sufficient and just food systems.
Put in place adequate policies for land redistribution in favor of those who produce food, with particular attention to the role of small-scale farmers, peasants, youth and women, in a way that redresses historical dispossession and ensures equitable access to land and productive resources for present and future generations.
Guarantee food sovereignty to achieve climate, ecological, and food justice, ensuring communities have control over their food and the right to define the food and agricultural systems that nourish them and the surrounding ecosystems.
Promote and finance the agroecological transition all across the region, integrating culturally embedded and ancestral farming, fishing, and gathering practices that enhance biodiversity and resilience, and adapting the curriculum of mandatory education. Discontinue subsidies towards conventional agriculture and the dependency on imported food that is often obtained in violation of the both social and planetary boundaries.
Safeguard indigenous seeds and farming methods to maintain soil health, climate stability, and socio-biological diversity interactions, ensuring these practices are preserved and promoted.
Set up public policies that respect, protect and fulfill the right to food, in particular by ensuring access to healthy, fair, sustainable, culturally adequate and nutritious food while at the same time promoting local and regional food systems. Public procurement should be seen as a leverage for transformation at all levels of public administrations. Particular attention should be paid to the provision of food in public school canteens as essential to the realization of the right to food and education.
Accelerate a just green transition in all sectors of the economy, making sure that it is informed by the principles of distribution, recognition and participation. The just green transition must go beyond the energy sector and prioritize food sovereignty over other forms of so-called development, such as real estate expansion, tourism and in-land energy projects that are often incompatible with the objectives of food sovereignty.
Adopt a transnational people- and nature-based approach to marine areas and the sea, recognizing it as a vital resource for climate change mitigation, food systems, and community dignity. Reject deep seabed mining, address agricultural and tourism generated runoff, remedy the tourism industry’s impact on aquatic ecosystems, and address mining pollution.
Foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between cities across the region. Promote cooperation between urban and rural areas to promote land, climate, and food justice through non-extractive development and democratic dialogue.
Showcasing stories of Caribbean organizations at the foreground of the struggle against disaster capitalism in the Caribbean. Our network of participants in the Greater Caribbean region connect, learn, share their hands on responses to the impacts of the twin threats of the climate crisis and disaster capitalism in our region.
Bernard Lodge Farmers Group
WAVE (Progressive Reform Movement)
Tèt Kole
Global Challenges Research Fund
Open Society Foundations
All Rights Reserved – strongercaribbeantogether.org 2022
All Rights Reserved – strongercaribbeantogether.org 2022
In the tumultuous aftermath of disasters, it is easy to feel isolated and alone, but you are not.
We, a network of Caribbean-wide community organizers who stand in solidarity with those affected the twin threats of the climate crises and disaster capitalism, a phenomenon that exacerbates the suffering of vulnerable communities.
We want you to know that your stories matter. We are here to listen, to support, and to amplify your voices.
We believe that together, we can challenge the forces of disaster capitalism and advocate for more sustainable, inclusive and equitable decision-making.
Join us in solidarity. Share your experiences and let’s build strong communities that thrive together.
As the wider world braces for the climate change, Caribbean communities are already struggling with its effects. Small local communities, small scale farmers and coastal communities are disproportionately affected. Political decisions, power dynamics and laws often compound the catastrophes and silence bottom up solutions.
There are ways in which you can help.