20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture — Launch

CARICOM launched the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture on Thursday, May 21, 2026, through a hybrid ceremony anchored in Kingston, Jamaica, where this year’s main programme will be held. The regional bloc said the launch began at 1 p.m. in Kingston and was carried on its Facebook, YouTube, X and LinkedIn platforms. (caricom.org) The 20th edition is the latest staging of what CARICOM describes as the region’s premier agricultural event. (caricom.org) The main week of activities is scheduled for September 27 to October 2, 2026, and will bring together farmers, youth, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers and development partners. Jamaica is hosting the event less than a year after Hurricane Melissa hit the country, and CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett said that gave this year’s staging added significance. Barnett called Jamaica’s role “a powerful symbol of resilience, recovery, and regional solidarity” in remarks published by CARICOM after the launch. (caricom.org) ### Why was the launch held in May if the main event is in late September? May 21 was the formal launch date for the 2026 programme, while the full Caribbean Week of Agriculture is set for September 27 to October 2 in Jamaica. CARICOM used the launch to set out the theme, identify speakers and publicize the schedule for the larger gathering later this year. (caricom.org) The launch ceremony was billed as a hybrid event, with in-person coverage at the Summit venue in Kingston and virtual access through CARICOM’s social channels. CARICOM listed corresponding start times for Georgetown, Belmopan and Paramaribo alongside the Kingston time. (caricom.org) ### What is Caribbean Week of Agriculture supposed to include? CARICOM said Caribbean Week of Agriculture includes seminars, statutory meetings of regional agriculture organisations, technical showcases, a trade show and other forums. The programme also includes a special meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development, known as COTED. (caricom.org) CARICOM said the event is a roving regional fixture hosted by member states and associate members. It added that the week was originally conceptualised by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture as a way to keep agriculture and rural life high on the regional integration agenda. (caricom.org) ### What does this year’s theme refer to? The 2026 theme is “The New F.A.C.E of Caribbean Food Systems.” CARICOM said FACE stands for Food Security, Agri-Business, Climate-Smart Technologies and Export Expansion. Barnett said those pillars match CARICOM’s push to strengthen food and nutrition security and reshape regional agriculture. (caricom.org) She said the framework also aligns with the bloc’s “25 by 2025+5” initiative to expand production and reduce food imports. ### Who took part in the launch? (caricom.org) CARICOM said speakers for the launch included Jamaica’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister Floyd Green; Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who also chairs the Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Security and Food Production; and Barnett. The speaker list also included IICA Director General Muhammad Ibrahim, FAO regional representative Rene Orellana Halkyer, CARICOM Private Sector Organisation chief executive Patrick Antoine and CARICOM Secretariat official David Prendergast. (caricom.org) Those names point to the mix CARICOM is trying to assemble for the September event: ministers, regional institutions, the private sector and international agencies. (caricom.org) CARICOM said the full week will also include farmers, fisherfolk, youth leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs and development partners. ### What happens next before the September gathering? September 27 is the next fixed date on the calendar, when the full Caribbean Week of Agriculture opens in Jamaica. CARICOM said the programme will run through October 2 and will feature high-level discussions, technical sessions, exhibitions and business forums. (caricom.org) CARICOM said viewers can follow updates and broadcasts through its official social media channels, which it used for the May 21 launch and listed in its event notice ahead of the September programme. (caricom.org) (caricom.org)