Every year on October 16th the Virgin Islands joins the international community in the observance of World Food Day. This day serves as a reminder of the global challenges surrounding hunger, food security and the importance of proper nutrition. The date commemorates the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
This year’s theme “Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind”, brings attention to water’s role in sustaining life and the pressing issue of securing food sources.
Within the BVI, the theme underscored the difficulties many residents encounter in securing access to a clean, dependable, and affordable water source.
In a statement on the commemoration, Minister for Communications and Works, the Honourable Kye Rymer highlighted the government’s active efforts to address the BVI’s water woes.
Minister Rymer also affirmed that clean accessible water should be a fundamental human right, not a luxury.
Junior Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Honourable Karl Dawson highlighted the challenges that food producers in the territory have faced with the availability and cost of water. He noted that farmers have reported a significant loss of crops and livestock this year due to a lack of water to sustain them.
He stressed that as efforts continue to address water supply issues, there must also be a shift to more intense water conservation. Some farmers, he said, are already taking on new innovative approaches to sustain their livelihoods despite limited access to water.
Further, the Junior Minister highlighted the delicate relationship between activities on land and the waters that support the fishing and tourism industries.