Floyd Green Opens Conference Focused on Improving Food Security, Sovereignty in Ja
MAMMEE BAY, St Ann; Sept. 10, 2026
Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green has pushed back against recent data indicating many Jamaican’s were going hungry or without food. Mr Green said, on the contrary. Data available to him suggest that over the last decade hunger has been reduced.
The Minister was speaking on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as he opened the 10th International Food Security and Sovereignty Conference, at Sandals Dunn’s River, St Ann
(Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green)
The Minister was responding to reports that the United Nations data had indicated food insecurity in Jamaica. The data said up to 51 percent of Jamaicans sometimes skipped meals or faced hunger and 28 percent experienced severe food insecurity.
The data have raised questions about Jamaica’s food production and distribution, one of the areas of focus at the conference at which the Minister was speaking.
(Dr Kadamawe Knife, laying out a raft of policy initiatives that could transform Jamaica’s food production).
But the minister said hunger in Jamaica was being reduced, not increased. Minister Green gave data based on the Food Poverty Index to show that a lower number of Jamaicans were reporting they were “unable to afford a nutritious meal.”
The Minister questioned the data from the United Nations, including the methodology of the research.
(Prof Srini Mentreddy of A&M University Alabama, USA) one of several speakers at the conference)
iMr Green instead used the Jamaican Government’s “Food Poverty Index.” He said in 2013 the index was 10.3%, that is, people who said they were unable to meet their basic food needs. That figure fell to 2.7% of the population in 2020. He said “food poverty” has fallen in Jamaica
Mr Green laid out the Government’s road map for increased food production through a variety of programmes to assist farmers.
The keynote speaker was Dr Kadamawe K’nife, a UWI lecturer and researcher, who detailed major programmes and actions that could transform the agriculture sector.
Thursday, September 10, is the second and final day of the conference.
