News Releases

Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety Convenes at UWI St Augustine

For Release Upon Receipt - June 23, 2025

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. June 23, 2025 – As the Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety (CTFS) met for its 2025 Annual Meeting at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St Augustine on June 3 and 4, member organisations of the CTFS – including The UWI – have made a commitment to continue strengthening food safety systems in the Caribbean.

 Established by CARICOM in 2021 as a technical advisory body under the guidance of the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), the CTFS is tasked with harmonizing food safety measures across the Caribbean. To achieve this, the CTFS is expected to work closely with regional and international food safety authorities to identify current and emerging food risks. Once risks are identified, the CTFS shall coordinate response and intervention methods by carrying out necessary tests, investing in the resources needed to respond to the identified risks and training programmes for stakeholders identified in the response.

 Representatives from Barbados, Grenada, and Jamaica listen attentively to a presentation during Day 2 of the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety, held at The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Sir Frank Stockdale Building.

 As The UWI is a member of the CTFS, Faculty of Food and Agriculture Dean, Professor Mark Wuddivira, indicated that The UWI will continue to make its research, testing and human resources capabilities available to support the mission of the CTFS. Emphasizing the importance, The UWI has placed on this, Professor Wuddivira stated, “We have an MSc in Agri-Food Safety and Quality Assurance because we know that if food is not safe, it cannot be nutritious and it is not food."

 FFA describes their postgraduate diploma and MSc in Agri-Food Safety and Quality Assurance as programmes providing education, training and research in food safety and quality to stakeholders inclusive of farm managers, food processors, food service managers, nutritionists, regulators, public health inspectors, policy makers, importers and exporters, who want to upgrade their skills. With the CTFS mandate in mind, graduates of these programmes are equipped to manage food safety from farm to table, undertake risk analysis and support responses to food safety risks.

 Chief Executive Officer of the CAHFSA, Dr Gavin Peters, reiterated that the CTFS mandate of bolstering the region's food safety and security has been made more urgent by recent regional climate-related disasters, public health threats like Covid-19 and disruptions in global supply chains. Dr Peters explained, "These realities have highlighted the interdependence between food safety and resilience and the importance of embedding sustainability and consumer trust into our food systems. Resilient agri-food systems must ensure the safety of the food we produce, process, trade, and consume—in normal times and in crisis."

 

 Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, Prof. Mark Wuddivira, engages in discussion with participants on Day 1 of the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety, at The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Sir Frank Stockdale Building, June 3, 2025.

 

 Apart from undermining public health, Dr Peters noted foodborne illnesses, contamination incidents, and unsafe practices also affect market confidence, food security, and economic development. As such, he called on all organisations at the Annual Meeting to collaborate to strengthen food safety systems through updated legislation, enhanced surveillance, more thorough inspection, increased laboratory capacity, and investments in emergency response systems.

 Issuing a wider call, Dr Peters reminded consumers that they also had a role to play in safeguarding regional food safety. He added, "A resilient food system is not only about producers and regulators... it is also about informed and empowered consumers. People must have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to make safe and healthy food choices." To this end, Dr Peters also highlighted public education, labelling transparency, traceability systems and risk communication as essential components of food system transformation.

 In his remarks, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram confirmed that the presence of regional organisations at the meeting underscored the importance of a unified approach to addressing food safety challenges in the Caribbean. Minister Ratiram said, "From input suppliers to processors to consumers, from enforcement to education, ensuring the safety of the food we consume requires a broad coalition of stakeholders working together. It is time we move away from siloed discussions and instead bring all stakeholders together to have one conversation that is focused, coordinated and action-orientated."

 

 Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries delivers his feature address on Day 1 of the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety, hosted at The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Sir Frank Stockdale Building, on June 3, 2025.

 

 Recognizing that the CTFS provides a platform for stakeholders to come together, he reminded organisations supporting the CTFS' work that shared responsibility and collective will build resilient, sustainable agri-food systems. Furthermore, highlighting the role of The UWI in this effort, Minister Ratiram concluded by saying, "I would like to thank the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) for its continued leadership in this initiative, as well as our partners at The UWI St Augustine and the Ministry of Health for their invaluable support."

 Sub-Regional Coordinator of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dr Renata Clarke, applauded the actions of the CTFS as being crucial in "future-proofing" regional food systems. She explained, "Something that I have underlined on several occasions is the need to 'future proof' food safety. If we are producing and handling foods in new ways. If our environments and our food systems are changing, we cannot expect the same old programmes and practices to provide an acceptable level of consumer protection."

 

Group photo of attendees on Day 1 of the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Task Force on Food Safety, held at The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Sir Frank Stockdale Building, on June 3, 2025. 

 In following up with their decisions and plans of action from the meeting, Dr Clarke said the CTFS and its members are responsible for ensuring decision-makers and consumers alike are conscious of the relevance of food safety in the context of the region's broader political or economic goals. She added, "The more people understand food safety, recognise the roles of different players and the consequences of poor risk management, the more each individual is likely to constructively engage to ensure that food is safe for everyone, everywhere. In the Caribbean, you (the CTFS) are the catalyst for this consciousness."

 With strengthening intra-regional trade being a high-level priority for CARICOM leaders, she said the CTFS stands to get greater buy-in and investments in their activities once decision-makers and stakeholders understand cohesive food safety mechanisms across all countries are operational.

  END

 About The University of the West Indies

 The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier higher education institution and one of only two regional universities in the world. With five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, The UWI continues to be a beacon of academic excellence, research innovation, and societal impact. Consistently ranked among the world’s best by Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI is a global leader in addressing critical challenges, including climate change, sustainability, and development.

 As The UWI St. Augustine Campus celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2025 under the theme Beyond 65: From the Caribbean, For the World, it pays tribute to its Caribbean roots while highlighting its contributions to solving global challenges. This milestone underscores the campus's significant role in producing ground-breaking research and fostering talent that transcends regional boundaries to shape a better world. The UWI St. Augustine’s researchers, academics, and graduates continue to make an international impact, exemplifying the university’s mission to serve the region while influencing the world.

 Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

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