Synthesis of Key Priority Information and Communication Needs and Tools in Food and Nutrition Security in the Caribbean Ballayram Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute

Data on Caribbean transitions Epidemiological transition 1.The data indicate that NCDs have replaced malnutrition and infectious diseases as the major public health problems. 2.The burden of disease, disability, and premature deaths has shifted from young children to adults in their productive years of their life. 3.Unbalanced diets and a sedentary life-style have increased the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases. 4.Obesity has increased in the region over the past two and a half decades. 5.These diseases involve significant costs to patients and the health system

1.Scientific evidence supports the view that: Nutrition and diets have strong effects on health throughout the life cycle Nutrition/diet is a major modifiable determinant of chronic disease Diets influence present health, and also whether or not an individual will develop NCDs later in life.

Repositioning Caribbean Agriculture Health must be a central consideration in the current discourse on repositioning Caribbean agriculture. A major challenge for Caribbean agriculture is to engender a new health-oriented agricultural policy We must seek to transcend the historical bias that favours setting quantitative/supply-side goals : Instead, give priority to quality by emphasizing certain foods that are more conducive to appropriate and health diets.

National Plans of Action For Food and Nutrition A food and nutrition security policy embodies a very concise set of statements on the overall aims and objectives of the policy: To ensure adequate supply of and accessibility to safe and nutritious foods for all members of the country’s population) NPANs contain principles that guide its formulation, and the strategies and programs to achieve these objectives.

NPANs (con’d) The NPANs expresses in operational terms what are contained in the food policy The programs/activities in NPANs are designed to respond to the food and nutrition needs of communities. These programs may be ongoing programs, and/or new programs that complement others or fill gaps that constrain food and nutrition security.

Information and Communication Needs The priority information needs depend on the requirements of stakeholders policy makers private sector media and NGOs producers consumers principal realm of operations of these stakeholders International regional national/local levels

Adequate, timely and relevant information can facilitate decision makers to Design appropriate food, price and other related policies Contribute to improvements in the nutrition and health status of the population.

General Observation The main information and communication needs identified for stakeholders : Information on international companies (i.e. Company Registers) Modes of transportation, protocols for trade, current trade rules and regulations Findings from trade analyses, information on tariffs and non-tariff barriers, and information on tools and mechanisms available to policy makers to address these constraints.

Food safety requirements, information on food labels trends in world market prices Special requirements for entry into potential markets Related information that will facilitate informed decisions by policy makers and others Information on alternative food supply (importers and exporters), input suppliers (e.g. fertilizers) relative food prices so that producers and consumers could benefit from competition.

Information on marketing services, market intelligence International demand for goods and services producers and policy makers can bring together agents from the supply and demand sides of the market in an efficient way

Information on vulnerable groups who are vulnerable where they are located why they are vulnerable current trends in dealing with the vulnerable groups policy makers can target specific groups and plan appropriate interventions

The discussions on information and communication tools emphasized, inter alia Much attention has to be given to enhance users’ access to appropriate information and communication tools; Some creative mix among modern and traditional communication tools Ongoing capacity building (training in software/hardware) Acquisition of equipment creating an engendering environment for access and utilization of information and communication tools are urgently needed;

Traditional information and communication tools will continue to feature as effective tools in the short to medium term: such as radio Newspapers Television libraries bulletin boards.

Governments must allocate financial, human and technical resources to develop modern communication and information tools such as internet, e-conferencing, etc. Official tools should constitute an integral part of the core set of tools utilized by all stakeholders: policy papers cabinet position papers and minutes nutrition and health reports international data bases (e.g. FAO, USDA, etc), and similar

Surveillance systems to collect and collate data Communication skills Training Co-ordinating mechanism Human resource, intellectual capacity Computers (internet access), telephone, fax

Current trade protocols, food safety rules and international agreements Human resource, intellectual capacity Hard copy of current treaties, conference presentations Internet access

Human Resource Capacity Development Trained personnel policy writing advocacy skills presentation skills General—Capacity Development Training programs on healthy diets Training in repackaging of information Training of media personnel in matters relating to food, health and nutrition.

Conclusion To achieve these priority areas of ICTs has to rely on extensive partnering and collaboration and resource sharing Several areas of potential collaboration among regional and internationals institutions in general and among CTA, CARDI and CFNI/PAHO in particular could be gleaned from the synthesis.

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