Rosanna Pike | Right to foods for better life and better future

IN EARLY July, Jamaica suffered the wrath of Hurricane Beryl. After what seemed to be a very long hiatus, the hurricane season has proven once again, how much of a devastating impact it can have on food and nutrition security.

This year’s theme of the World Food Day, which was October 14, aimed to highlight the immediate and long-term benefits of prioritising access to safe and nutritious food for all. Around 733 million people globally are facing hunger due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns and inequality.

FOOD SECURITY AT A GLANCE

Food is one of the basic necessities for life, yet some Jamaicans suffer from hunger and are unable to afford healthy diets. Food security, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Over the last few decades, we have experienced a preponderant shift in the diet from wholesome, natural produce to ultra-processed products, which have also led to the exacerbation of the non-communicable diseases (NCD) crisis the country grapples with. The most vulnerable are often forced to rely on cheaper products that can be unhealthy, while others suffer from the unavailability of fresh or varied foods, a lack of food-nutrition related knowledge they need to choose a healthy diet, or simply opt for convenience.

It is crucial to remember that food security is inexorably linked to the performance of the agricultural sector. A greater diversity of nutritious foods should be available in our fields, fishing nets, markets and, of course, on our tables. Despite the persistent arguments around the contribution of agri-food systems to soil, water and air degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, these systems are vulnerable to disasters and crises, particularly climate change impacts. Agri-food systems are all the interconnected activities involved in getting food from farm to table, including agricultural production and processing to distribution, consumption and waste management.

POLICIES HELP

Recently, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that Jamaica will not be able to meet Vision 2030 targets. Nonetheless, should the Government wish to attain its goal of good health and well-being, immense investments are required as the current situation presents negative implications for public health. Food and nutrition security are paramount to population health. It is incumbent that strong policies that promote sustainable resource management, environmental protection, support for smallholder farmers and even improving school food environments can help build resilience against environmental impacts.

Taxes on unhealthy foods and/or sugar-sweetened beverages is one such example. Ring-fencing or earmarking such a tax to drive revenue for subsidies for small farmers, community gardens and school-feeding programmes can prove beneficial, especially given the vulnerabilities of farmers during this hurricane season. More than 58 countries plus nine jurisdictions in the United States have already implemented taxes on sugary drinks. Research has helped to bolster arguments around the benefits of said taxes, that they can help to stabilise agricultural commodity markets, aid low-income farmers, aid rural development, help ensure national food security, offset farm subsidies provided by other countries, and provide various other services.

In Philadelphia, revenue from their soda tax has brought in about US$480 million from 2017-2023, with revenue fluctuating between US$69.9 million and US$76.9 million annually. Funds from this earmarked tax has been able to provide funding not only for health but for extending pre-kindergarten services and for community improvement projects. Similar benefits have been experienced in Berkeley, California, through their soda tax, where 40 per cent of the revenues fund the Berkeley Unified School District’s Cooking and Gardening Program. The programme’s staff has coordinated planting a garden on 17 of the district’s 18 campuses.

Government of Barbados implemented 10 per cent sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) tax in 2015. In April 2022, this tax was increased to 20 per cent. While aimed at tackling skyrocketing rates of obesity and related chronic conditions, the tax is an important part of a broader agenda which includes the provision of subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables. Bermuda’s 75 per cent SSB tax raised US$5.4 million since its implementation. Inevitably, such a proposition would not go without opposition whether from the general public or the food and beverage manufacturing industry. However, the benefits are worth considering.

On the other hand, relentless hunger is devastating for children. It impacts their physical and mental development and leaves them at risk of chronic infections. Gains have been made to meet targets on undernourishment locally, yet we still have a far way to go. The implementation of a comprehensive school nutrition policy can ensure children are able to enjoy healthy diets and are free from food insecurity through multiple channels, including school gardens, school feeding, and the development of literacy skills.

Such a policy has the potential to directly improve food availability through school. The food produced by the school can be consumed by students, increasing the aggregate food availability for children, especially the most vulnerable. In some cases, fresh produce from school gardens can be shared with government or private school feeding programmes.

WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY

Only when everyone enjoys the human right to adequate food will we be able to achieve other human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals and we all have a role to play. Agrifood systems can and must enable all people to consume healthy diets now and in the future for the health of our people. However, greater commitment, investment, and innovation approaches are needed to realise this ambition so that we can help families increase their agricultural production, diversify their incomes, save for the future.

Rosanna Pike is advocacy officer at the Global Health Advocacy Project, Heart Foundation of Jamaica. Send feedback to ghapjm@gmail.com and columns@gleanerjm.com