Erika Gunther

Food and Nutrition (In-)Security in the Caribbean Erika Gunther

In the past decades, the independent English-speaking Caribbean countries were able to integrate into global markets, experiencing rapid economic growth and an overall positive socio-economic development. However, environmental and economic shocks such as the global economic, financial and food crisis showed that the countries' socio-economic structures were still vulnerable. Import dependency, decreasing exports, changing consumption patterns, and the epidemic of Non-communicable Diseases are the most severe consequences. This book assesses the Food and Nutrition (In-) Security situation of the Caribbean and highlights the significant differences as well as similarities between 13 countries. A detailed analysis of causes and consequences of the main identified problems in the Caribbean, an unsustainable high food import bill and increasing prevalence of nutrition related diseases, gives impetus for a discussion on differentiated approaches to solve a complex and urgent problem.