Partnerships for Peace, Planet & Prosperity in the Bahamas
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognizes the need to reduce food insecurity, strengthen livelihoods and rebuild economies in a manner that respects people and planet.
Over the past two years, Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic have challenged the progress made towards this and the Sustainable Development Goals, yet, they have provided new opportunities for strengthened collaboration and a new approach to development. FAO’s new strategic approach calls for greater cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approaches and solutions to meet the challenges of the time and to respond better to the calls for the transformation of the country’s agri food systems.
In Grand Bahama and Abcao, FAO is actively working to rebuild the fisheries sector in a more sustainable way. Through improved and new technologies, and the strengthening and increasing of livelihood opportunities, FAO is working to help the country’s prime fisheries sector to recover better.
The Bahamas was one of the first forty countries globally and in the region to commit to the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2020. Since that time, the country’s call for more strategic partnerships and innovative approaches in the transformation of agri-food systems has remained at the forefront of initiatives supported by FAO.
The development of Agrovillages in Grand Bahama and New Providence is among the endeavours that we believe will help the country’s growth of an agriculture sector that relies less on imports whilst promoting livelihoods and strengthening food security. FAO has embarked on this journey to support the inclusion of Agribusiness Incubators as a part of the Agrovillages. These incubators will help to empower local innovative agriculture businesses whilst increasing access to new technologies and building the knowledge and skills to grow the country’s agriculture sector.
On this UN Day, we recommit to supporting our UN Family and partners to build a stronger Bahamas and in pushing for a transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems that will lead the country to better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.