The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) hosted two national workshops from January 24th – 31st, 2024 in Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados, focusing on the validation of newly developed national Climate Resilient Food and Water Safety Plans.
In 2021 and 2022, Barbados and Trinidad were selected as pilot countries to develop climate integrated food and water safety plans after conducting a baseline risk assessment under the European Union CARIFORUM Climate and Health Project – “Strengthening Climate Resilient Health Systems in the Caribbean”. Subsequently, in September 2023, an inception workshop was hosted in both countries. The outcomes of these workshops included a thorough assessment of the water infrastructure and systems in selected catchment areas, as well as local food safety systems and policies.
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In attendance at the recent three-day workshops, was a diverse group of ministerial and agency representatives from various sectors including health, agriculture, environment, public utilities, finance, economics, gender, and child affairs as well as works and transportation ministries. Also attending were local emergency and disaster response units, regulatory bodies, the national meteorological services, the water and sewage services, non-governmental organisations, the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association, the Barbados Roofs to Reef Program, Coastal Zone Management, as well as the Food and Agricultural Organization, and InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. The high level of representation and multi-sectoral discussions among national stakeholders ensure that these draft plans compliment existing national strategies and are in alignment with national food and water safety policies for Barbados and Trinidad.
During the opening of workshop proceedings, Dr. Horace Cox, Assistant Director Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control/Head of Vector borne Diseases, at CARPHA highlighted that “climate change has already shown significant impacts” and the “increasing global temperatures, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, acidification of oceanic waters, prolonged droughts, fires and intense storms have been experienced globally. These changes directly and indirectly impact food and water safety including changes in pathogen proliferation and transmission, as well as chemical and heavy metal contamination of food and water supplies. The need for building climate resilience into the national planning process for maintaining future food and water safety becomes more critical than ever.”
Dr. Cox expanded on the relevance of these food and water safety plans stating, “For Caribbean SIDS, the vision of realising the resilient future we would like to see will require not only a robust means of implementation, but also the commitment and political will of our governments, and the readiness to pursue collective and cooperative action, with continued strong support from our international development partners and donors.”
At the Barbados opening ceremony, the PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, Dr Amalia Del Riego, and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Arthur Phillips highlighted the importance of collaboration in the development, validation and implementation of multisectoral draft food and water safety plans.
Key components of these plans will involve periodic food and water safety infrastructural risk assessments; capacity building, and the adoption of climate-related food and water safety cooperative crisis response mechanisms. The outcomes of these workshops included stakeholder validation and agreement on the draft plans. Post governmental approval, these plans will be formally adopted and oversight committees in each country will monitor implementation.
