Author name: wakefieldlatoya@gmail.com

When researchers studied 186 countries to see who could feed their own people from domestic production alone, only one country met the benchmark in all seven key food groups: Guyana.

Fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, plant based protein and starchy staples. In this study, only Guyana produced enough of all seven to meet its population’s needs under a healthy diet standard. China and Vietnam came close with six out of seven. Most countries fell far short, especially in vegetables and plant based proteins.

For Jamaica, especially after the destruction of farms and fisheries by recent hurricanes, this is not just an interesting fact. It is a practical case study in resilience and long term food security.