Conference in St Ann to Focus on Food Security & Sovereignty Sept 9-10
OCHO RIOS, St Ann, Sept 2, 2026
The state of Jamaica’s agriculture and its connection to tourism are to be the main focus of a food conference on food security and sovereignty at Sandals Dunn’s River, St Ann on September 9 and 10, 2026.
The 10th International Food Security and Sovereignty conference has as its theme ‘Building Resilience in Food Systems’ and is organized by the Food Hygiene Bureau (FHB).
Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Tova Hamilton, will be among the speakers. UWI Lecturer and researcher in entrepreneurship and strategic planning, Mona School of Business and Management, Dr Kadamawe K’nife is the keynote speaker.
(Conference organizer and Managing Director of Food Hygiene Bureau, Dr Marva Hewitt greets Mayor Michael Belnavis and the JHTA’s Vanna Taylor)
Dr Marva Hewitt, Managing Director of the FHB and environmental health specialist said the conference will seek to share knowledge and experiences to help Jamaica improve its food systems. Speaking on Tuesday, September 1, at the launch at the conference centre at Sandals, Dr Hewitt said ways had to be found to increase food production in Jamaica, to help reduce prices and increase export. She said it was not acceptable for Jamaica to be importing US$1.4 billion in food.
Dr Marva Hewitt at the conference launch
Also speaking at the launch, head of the Western Hospitality Institute Dr Cecil Cornwall gave figures that showed that Jamaica suffered from food insecurity in a world where over 645 million people faced persistent hunger.
(Kenneth Angling, President of the StAnn Chamber of Commerce)
Speaking about data related to Jamaica, Dr Cornwall said more than half of the population, 55 percent, face uncertainty about getting food, run out of food, or skip meals. He said 27 per cent of the population, or more than a quarter of Jamaicans, experience severe conditions where they go hungry or go entire days without eating.
He endorsed the conference and said there was the need to change the thinking even about what is offered to hotel guests.
(Dr Cecil Cornwall, head of the Western Hospitality Institute giving the latest data on food security_)
Also endorsing the conference and welcoming the focus on food security and sovereignty was Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Michael Belnavis. He said food security and sovereignty were “fundamental to who we are as a people and to our survival.”
The Mayor said he hoped that the conference would provide a platform for policymakers and practitioners to focus on collaborative solutions.
(Dr Audia Barnett giving details on the two-day conference to be held September 9-10)
Also speaking and endorsing the conference were: President of the St Ann Chamber of Commerce, Kenneth Anglin; Chairman of the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Vanna Taylor, and Learning and Development Manager at Sandals Corporate University, Melissa King.
Dr Audia Barnett gave details about the conference programme. Jacqueline Knight Campbell was the emcee for the press launch.
