Business View Caribbean | July 2020

15 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN JULY 2020 DROUGHTS, HURRICANES, PANDEMIC, AND HOPE: CURRENT REALITIES IMPACTING CARIBBEAN AGRICULTURE OPENING L INES Op-ed by the Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines A united approach to regional agriculture is the only way the agriculture sector in the Caribbean can be hopeful – even amidst the avalanche of seemingly insurmountable challenges. It is often said that, “God will not give us more than we can bear”. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is currently experiencing one of its worst droughts in over fifty (50) years and the regional forecast for the 2020 Caribbean Hurricane season is not reassuring. These challenges are the day to day concerns of farmers and fishers as they continue to follow national advisories on COVID-19 health protocols. However, giving up is not an option! Our resilience as a region can be a global successful showcase if we combine our efforts to effectively grapple with the vagaries resulting from our challenges.