Embracing this year's theme for World Food Day 2022, "Leave No One Behind," the Ministry of Agriculture’s recently hosted Sea Moss Fiesta brought together many sector partners to highlight a locally-grown product that can help improve Saint Lucia's food security.

Recognizing that food security is a global priority, Country Representative for the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Andrew Barry Innocent, said his organization remains committed to assisting in the fight for food security because the health, stability, and well-being of a country is dependent on the food security that it has built.

While acknowledging the strides and progress made toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1 of ending world hunger, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Barrymore Felicien, emphasized that there are still significant disparities in food supplies, access to food, and food affordability. He said the agriculture ministry's goal is to ensure that the entire nation has a safety net in place to guarantee adequate food is available for all citizens to lead a healthy life.

In the midst of a global food security crisis and an all-time high number of people at risk of experiencing severe hunger, Mr. Felicien said that in order to increase Saint Lucia's food security, the public must continue to support local production by purchasing local produce and adopting healthy lifestyles.