As policymakers, academics, civil society, and youth meet at COP17, they face a reality that is increasingly difficult to ignore: drought is no longer simply a periodic natural hazard.
For Hon. Vickram Bharrat, M.P., Minister of Natural Resources of Guyana, drought remains a growing threat to food security, water security, biodiversity, and economic stability. As climate change alters rainfall patterns and intensifies climatic extremes, the task for Caribbean Small Island Developing States is not simply to respond when drought occurs, but to build resilience before drought becomes a crisis.
For his country, the Minister explains that “Resilience begins with recognizing that water, land, forests, biodiversity, agriculture, and people are part of one interconnected system.”
Under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, the Minister cited that the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 has placed this integrated approach at the centre of their national development pathway.
Understanding that forests and wetlands help regulate water; Healthy soils retain moisture. Biodiversity strengthens ecosystem resilience; Productive agricultural landscapes provide a foundation for food security and livelihoods.
Guyana stands out for a compelling reason— as a recent study published in Nature Food and reported by BBC Science Focus, delved into the food production capabilities of 186 countries across seven food groups. Remarkably, his country emerged as the sole nation with the potential to produce sufficient food to cater to its population’s needs across all seven food groups, without resorting to imports.
For this same reason, the Guyanese Minister highlighted why food self-sufficiency matters for resilience. “Countries with low levels of self-sufficiency can be more vulnerable to sudden food supply shocks, including those caused by drought, conflict, and export restrictions. Therefore, protecting Guyana’s capacity to feed its people means protecting the land, soil, water, and biodiversity upon which that capacity depends,” he said.
Making an appeal for drought resilience to extend beyond emergency response, the Minister called for greater international investment in drought preparedness, resilient food systems, healthy soils, water security, and nature-based solutions.
“Let us invest before the crisis. Let us strengthen resilience before the drought. Let us protect our natural systems and safeguard food security, as resilience must be accelerated.”
