Heat wave affecting food production – Minister

Although the extreme temperatures felt across the country in the last few months have cooled slightly, the effects of the heat wave are expected to have lingering effects on the production of food in the coming months.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves admiring some dasheen at the World Food Day Expo held in Kingstown yesterday. (Photo Credit NBC Radio)

The celebration of World Food Day, which is observed on October 16, came with the disclosure from Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar that farmers have struggled with the high temperatures and Vincentians will see a shortage of produce around Christmas time.

“We are experiencing a heat wave and I was advised that it will last for the next two to three weeks. The Ministry of Agriculture will be conducting an impact assessment because the vegetable farmers are noting that come Christmas because of the impact of the heat wave we are going to see a scarcity of vegetables on the market,” the Minister told members of the public at the Expo in Kingstown yesterday.

Vegetables are not the only food product expected to be in short supply as Minister Caesar noted that “egg farmers noted a reduction in the production of eggs”.

The cost of farm labour may also fall victim to the rising temperatures as the Ministry has received reports from workers who are complaining about the compensation for working in the heat.

“Going forward with this extreme heat, the farmers are saying that the workers aren’t willing to spend the time because they can’t work for the same duration of time for the same money.”

Last month, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment issued a heat warning advising Vincentians that warmer than usual temperatures were anticipated and the Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum also put the region on guard about an extended heat wave stating that temperatures were expected to increase steadily from August through to October.

Minister Caesar said the Ministry technicians will be responsible for developing measures to mitigate against the heat as it relates to food production.

“Preparing for 2024 it is the duty of the technicians… to ensure that we have more heat tolerant varieties of crops in our country so that we will be able, even though we are impacted by moments of extreme heat, that we can still ensure that we are supplying food for consumption. Food must always be affordable, accessible and available.”

He also said that a report from the Fisheries Department has confirmed instances of coral bleaching – a process where corals become white caused when water is too warm.

He noted that the long-term implications of increased water temperatures due to global warming will eventually lead to an increase in the price of fish locally.

“… If we have significant bleaching of the coral reefs then we are going to have a breakdown of the ecosystem and places where persons traditionally fish there will be significant migration of the fish which means that our fishermen would have to go further in order to get the fish. Which means they will need more gas… and they are going to tell you that you need to pay a little more for the fish.”

World Food Day was celebrated under the theme “Water is life, water is food.

Leave no one behind.”