Food Security

The Effects of Income Distribution on Food Security in Guyana

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION 6

2 Objectives and justificatioN 7

3 LITERATURE REVIEW 8

3.1.1 Agricultural Factors 8

3.1.2 Environmental Factors 9

3.1.3 Physical Factors 9

3.1.4 Social Factors 9

3.1.5 Economic Factors 10

4 WHAT IS FOOD SECURITY/INSECURITY? 12

5 GUYANA: FOOD SECURE OR INSECURE? 14

5.1.1 Income Distribution and Poverty 14

5.1.2 Income Distribution and Food Security in Guyana 15

6 RESPONSE TO FOOD INSECURITY-PROGRAMMES AND REGIONAL FRAMEWORK 18

6.1.1 Guyana’s Response 18

6.1.2 Grow More Campaign 18

6.1.3 AEDP 19

6.1.4 PRS 19

6.2 Regional Response 19

6.2.1 The Jagdeo Initiative 19

6.2.2 Regional Food Plan 20

6.2.3 Regional Transformation Programme in Agriculture 20

6.2.4 Regional Negotiating Machinery or Office of Trade Negotiation 21

6.2.5 CARICOM/FAO /SPFS 21

6.2.6 Caribbean Cooperation in Health Initiative 21

7 Conclusion 23

8 References 24

9 APPENDICES 26

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 - Populations living before poverty line % 16

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1- Definition of terms (FAO 2008) 12

Figure 2 - Components of Food Security (Allebone-Web 2006) 13

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1- AVERAGE FOOD PRICES OF BASIC COMMODITIES IN GUYANA ($GY) 2001 – 2008 26

Appendix 2 - PUBLIC SECTOR MINIMUM WAGE 27

Appendix 3 - NATIONAL DISPOSABLE INCOME FOR GUYANA 1990 - 2008 28

Appendix 4 - Average Weight for children <5 29

Appendix 5 – Gini Coefficient for Caribbean % 30

ACRONYMS

AEDP Agriculture Export Diversification Programme

CARICOM Caribbean Community

CARIFORUM Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific States

CCH Caricom Charter for Health or Caribbean Cooperation in Health Initiative

CDB Caribbean Development Bank

CFC Caribbean Food Cooperation

CFNI Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute

CIA Central Institute Agriculture

CMC Conference of Ministers responsible for Health...