The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona will host a conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development from July 28- 30, 2009 on the Mona Campus.

The UWI, in keeping with its tradition of acting as a catalyst to address global, regional and local challenges, will explore the future of Food Security and Agricultural Development in the Americas with the aim of both understanding the challenges and identifying possible solutions.    

The Americas like many other regions around the world today face a number of challenges and uncertainties as it relates to Food Security and Agricultural Development. This includes, among other things, increasing prices for food products especially imported foods, rising production costs and increasing global competition as well as a disconnect between sellers (farmers) and buyers (retailers, wholesalers and consumers).

The conference is an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to discuss existing research and research in progress related to the current food security and agricultural development challenges and opportunities in the Americas. It is being hosted by the principal of The UWI, Mona Campus, Professor Gordon Shirley.

The conference will bring together practitioners and researchers in the Americas -   the Caribbean, Latin America, Central America and the United States of  America as well as Canada -  to discuss the challenges, strategies and solutions to Food Security and Agricultural Development at the policy and technical levels.

Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton , Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries will be the guest speaker at the Opening Ceremony beginning at 6:00pm at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre on July28. The Plenary speaker on Wednesday, July 29 will be Dr. Dunstan Campbell, Head, FAO Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas, who will deliver an address entitled “Food Security – Fad or Trend”. On Thursday, July 30, Dr. Chelston Brathwaite, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, will deliver the plenary address entitled “The Need for A New Development Model for the Twenty First Century”.

The public is invited to attend. For further information visit the conference web site www.mona.uwi.edu/conferences/2009/agriculturaldevelopment/