Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697648460556.pdf (Bahamas)
REMARKS BY HON.

RENWARD R. WELLS, M.P.

Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources WORLD FOOD DAY 2017 Theme: Change the future of migration.

Invest in food security and rural development.

16th October 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium Queen Elizabeth Sporting Complex New Providence, The Bahamas Salutations…  Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Carlton Bowleg  Rev.
Miriam Emmanuel, Chairman of BAIC  Mr. Mark Humes, Chairman of BAHFSA  Mrs. Camille Johnson, Secretary to the Cabinet  Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources - Ms. Phedra Rahming  Directors and Heads of Department of my Ministry  Other Senior Officials  Ladies and Gentlemen  Boys and Girls Good morning.

-1- Today, The Bahamas joins in the global celebration of World Food Day.
By our theme, we have been challenged to think about how the large movements of people present complex challenges that lead to hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

As we think on these things, try to answer these questions:  Why do people leave home?

 Why do they leave the place of their birth, many times leaving loved ones and going to pursue the unknown?

-2- For us in The Bahamas, we see so many peoples of other nations and cultures coming here.

Why do they come?
Why do they come?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls When we look to writings even from ancient times, they give evidence that people have always been busy moving into strange lands.

This is nothing new.

This desire to move is born of the need to be happy and the natural wish to find a better way of life.

Today, massive numbers of people around the world have been forced to leave their homes due to persecution, violence, -3- natural disasters, and the scourge of poverty.
The irony, though, is that moving is not always an option for poor people.

They are, for the most part, unable to choose migration because they cannot afford it.

Sadly, a great portion of migrants make up the more than eight hundred million (800Mn) people who suffer from hunger.
When I talk about hunger, I’m not talking about that uneasy feeling you get when you miss breakfast or even breakfast and lunch; I’m talking about that state in which people find themselves not having adequate access -4- to food – not knowing the source of the next bit of food.

Ironically, the world produces enough food for ten (10) billion people — yet, the challenge of hunger persists.

No matter where we find ourselves living, globally, as a people, we MUST do better.
Although a world without hunger may sound impossible, there are 72 out of the 129 countries monitored by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that were able, by 2015, to achieve the target of reducing the proportion of people who suffered from hunger by 50%.

-5- Here in The Bahamas, we must do our part to ensure that we are not counted among the hungry nations.

The recent hurricanes have demonstrated how vulnerable we all are in terms of food insecurity.
Entire populations of islands were moved to New Providence and had to depend on others to provide food.

While The Bahamas has a negligible challenge with hunger, it is not because we are capable of feeding ourselves; and that is very dangerous.

I am of the view that food security and food safety are matters of ‘national security’ and ‘national safety’.
That -6- is why my Ministry’s vision incorporates placing The Bahamas in a position to produce a regular supply of home-grown and home- raised food to feed ourselves at stable prices.

Recognising food security as critical to our sovereignty, I urge citizens to work together to embrace entrepreneurial ventures in farming, fisheries, fish and shellfish farming.

Boys and Girls Fishing and farming is hard work; but, my grandmother always said that hard work will not kill you.
The sector is not limited to -7- menial work either.

We need smart people in the sector.

New and emerging professions have caused people to make good money and become professionals in their own right.

These include professions like:  Agricultural Engineering, Food Science, Agricultural Inspection and Management, and Agronomy  Large Scale Fishing, Fish and Shellfish Farming, Seafood Processing and Seafood Marketing.
There are so many other areas that you can study toward; but, while you are in -8- school, you must study hard so that you get good grades, especially in sciences (Math, Biology, General Science, Chemistry, etc).

Government is doing more to assist people who choose professions to grow food, harvest or grow fish and shellfish and raise livestock and chickens.

We want to see more livestock and poultry production and food processing, particularly in our Family Islands, and we will do what we can to assist.
So, learn how to make business plans.

That is important for a start.

You are not too young to think about these things.

Discuss -9- them with your parents so that they know your interest and do all that they can to help you to build our Bahamas.

This is all that we have.

With you in mind, I want to rebuild and repair the agriculture infrastructure, invest in replanting and restocking small farmers’ crops and livestock production.
I encourage each of you to carve out a spot for planting – in your backyard, on your porch, in pots around the home, on the kitchen counter.

Anywhere!

No matter how small!

Just get started!

Together, WE CAN DO IT!

-10- May God bless you all and may God bless the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.