Article by Keisha Blades

As I made my routine trip to the supermarket, I headed to the meat section to pick up my usual selection of fresh chicken. However, instead of encountering the familiar array of chicken cuts, I was greeted by empty shelves and a sign explaining that the supplier was unable to meet the current demand. It was then that the reality of the widespread chicken shortage truly hit me. This got me thinking about the far-reaching effects of this chicken conundrum and its potential to reoccur in the future. While it’s crucial to identify the root cause of the issue and analyse its impacts, it is equally important to explore sustainable solutions that can prevent similar crises down the line.

Chicken’s Role in Barbadian Life

 If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s the undeniable importance of chicken as a dietary staple in Barbados. From fine dining restaurants and fast food chains to local food vendors, supermarkets and everyday meals in households, chicken is the centrepiece of our cuisine. So, when there’s a disruption in Barbados’ egg and poultry supply chain, the effects ripple far beyond missing your favourite order at Chicken Barn or having to choose an alternative protein. By understanding the root causes—like extreme heat affecting poultry production and the scarcity of fish pushing consumers toward chicken—stakeholders can develop targeted strategies to address the issue. In this article, we’ll dive into the causes of this disruption, its broader impact, and potential solutions to keep Barbados’ chicken supply thriving.

Chicken farming is more than just a food supply chain. For countless local farmers, poultry farming provides a vital source of income, supporting families and sustaining rural communities. The industry isn’t limited to large-scale operations; many small-scale farmers rely on poultry production as their main livelihood, making it a critical part of the agricultural sector.

Beyond the farms, chicken plays a significant role in small businesses. From roadside food vendors to family-run cook shops, chicken is often the centerpiece of menus, driving sales and keeping businesses afloat. When disruptions occur, the ripple effects can be devastating, threatening jobs and the local economy. Safeguarding the poultry industry is, therefore, essential—not just for putting food on the table, but for maintaining the livelihoods of those who depend on it.

Is There a Bigger Story Behind this Crisis?

Perhaps—but more likely, it’s a combination of challenges that are now surfacing all at once. Understanding these issues is key, not to assign blame, but to uncover the real reasons behind the crisis. By doing so, we can focus on finding meaningful solutions that benefit everyone.

 Now, let’s take a closer look at what’s driving this situation.

The extreme heat hasn’t just been making life uncomfortable for us; it’s been wreaking havoc on farms as well. High temperatures are disrupting poultry production, leading to lower-than-expected chicken yields and placing additional strain on a supply chain already working to keep up with soaring demand. Small farmers faced significant challenges during this summer’s heatwave, according to Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir, as reported by Barbados Today on October 11, 2024. He revealed that the extreme temperatures during July and August led to the loss of approximately 156,000 birds. This loss was particularly severe for small-scale farmers lacking the infrastructure to mitigate the effects of intense heat. As a result, many of these farmers chose not to place birds during that period, highlighting the vulnerability of smaller-scale poultry producers to climate extremes.

Other officials have linked the ongoing crisis to a surge in demand caused by a shortage of fresh fish following Hurricane Beryl’s impact (Barbados Today, 2024). Amir Juman, board director with the Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association (BEPPA), clarified that the issue is not a true shortage but rather a spike in demand. He explained that many consumers, in search of a fresh protein alternative to fish, have turned to chicken as their next best option. Sheria Brathwaite, a journalist from Barbados Today, reports that Mr. Juman also highlighted the impact of unusually high temperatures during the summer months, contributing to higher mortality rates and slower growth among poultry (Barbados Today, 2024). Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful that the situation will improve in the coming months. The combination of climate stress and heightened demand for chicken has certainly put a strain on the industry, but optimism persists as adjustments are made to overcome these hurdles.

The Chicken Fallout

The economic fallout from the poultry crisis in Barbados is multifaceted, potentially affecting various sectors of the economy, particularly food production and consumption. If the current spike in poultry demand persists over the long term, it could drive poultry prices higher, which would, in turn, increase the cost of living for consumers. This economic ripple effect may put further pressure on household budgets, especially for those who rely on protein sources like chicken. Such price increases would amplify the financial burden of families and contribute to broader inflationary trends in the island’s food market.

Poultry producers are facing significant challenges in maintaining healthy stock due to extreme temperatures, which affect both mortality and growth rates. Small-scale farmers are particularly feeling the strain as they now have to work to meet rising demand while grappling with the increased costs of upgrading infrastructure to cope with extreme heat. With rising temperatures impacting poultry health and productivity, small-scale farmers are facing escalating operational costs, particularly for cooling systems and temperature-controlled environments. Many lack the resources needed to mitigate these climate-related challenges, which can make it difficult to maintain profitability. As these farmers struggle to cope with the added expenses, the increased production costs may eventually push up prices for consumers, further restricting household budgets. This scenario underscores the vulnerability of smaller operations to both climate change and market fluctuations, highlighting the need for strategic interventions to avoid future crises. 

In addition to the rising operational costs for small-scale poultry farmers, the economic fallout from the crisis extends to employment and food businesses across the island. Many businesses dependent on a steady supply of chicken—such as restaurants, catering companies, roadside food vendors, and local cook shops—are facing challenges maintaining customer traffic to their establishments. Peter Hynam, co-director of the well-known Chicken Barn restaurant chain, expressed concern over the temporary closure of its Bay Street and Worthing locations (Barbados Today, 2024). This decision came after the restaurant received only a small portion of its usual chicken supply. As a result, employees face reduced hours, which could exacerbate financial hardships for local households. Meanwhile, workers in agriculture, especially those on poultry farms, may also see a reduction in hours or even layoffs if farms struggle to stay profitable amidst rising costs. This situation adds to the broader economic challenges.

Amid this crisis, farmers are now facing an additional challenge: chicken theft. One farmer, who estimates his losses at around $10,000, including damage (Nation News, 2024), describes it as a significant setback. This particular farmer supplies chickens to numerous food vendors, many of whom were eagerly awaiting this batch. This theft not only impacts the farmer’s livelihood but also further disrupts the already burdened supply chain, leaving food vendors in a tough spot.

Navigating the Ripple Effect

This current predicament seems to stem from a combination of factors. However, the focus now is less on assigning blame and more on finding solutions to prevent future occurrences, especially with the busy Christmas season approaching—a time marked by numerous events and gatherings. Ensuring a stable supply chain during this critical period will be essential to supporting businesses and fostering celebrations.

 Although the current challenges may seem daunting, they also present opportunities to build resilience and foster growth. Embracing innovation, collaboration, and adaptability allows businesses to turn adversity into a catalyst for progress. For small-scale poultry producers, this involves re-evaluating practices and adopting innovative strategies to mitigate climate risks, reducing their vulnerability to the inevitable effects of climate change.

The fish shortage caused by Hurricane Beryl highlights the need to strengthen local supply chains and diversify food production. Investing in sustainable fishing practices and alternative protein sources will support greater food security and economic stability in the face of future disruptions.

 To ease the burden of rising operational costs, government and private sector initiatives could expand the availability of easily accessible grants and micro-loans for small and medium-sized poultry producers. These financial supports could help cover critical expenses such as feed, energy-efficient equipment, and farm infrastructure upgrades, enabling producers to stabilize their operations. Emphasis could also be placed on funding renewable energy solutions, like solar-powered lighting and ventilation systems, which offer the dual benefits of reducing long-term costs and enhancing sustainability. During the Down to Brass Tacks call-in radio program, Weir announced that $2 million in loans have been allocated to support small poultry producers in response to the ongoing crisis (Barbados Today, 2024).

Additionally, hosting workshops and providing guidance on modern, sustainable farming practices can equip small-scale poultry farmers with the tools and knowledge needed to adapt to climate change. These programs could cover topics such as efficient water and energy usage, climate-resilient poultry housing, and sustainable feed alternatives. Access to these resources not only empowers farmers to maintain consistent production but also enhances their ability to implement long-term strategies for resilience. By fostering innovation and adaptability, such initiatives contribute to a more secure and reliable food supply chain, benefitting both producers and consumers.

Equally important is the development of early warning systems to detect potential shortages before they arise. Identifying signals of supply chain disruptions early enables the implementation of measures to create buffers, helping businesses and consumers better prepare for future challenges.

Addressing vulnerabilities, embracing sustainable practices, and fostering collaboration across sectors are key to building a more secure and reliable food supply chain system.

References

Barbados Today. (2024, November 01). How do we fix the chicken issue and prevent a recurrence? Retrieved from Barbados Today: https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/11/01/how-do-we-fix-the-chicken-issue-and-prevent-a-recurrence/

Barbados Today. (2024, November 10). Officials say fish shortage driving increased demand for chicken. Retrieved from Barbados Today: https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/10/11/officials-say-fish-shortage-driving-increased-demand-for-chicken/

Nation News. (2024, November 16). Chicken farmers hit hard by thieves. Retrieved from Nation News: https://nationnews.com/2024/11/16/chicken-farmers-hit-hard-by-thieves/#

Watkins, S., Jones, F. T., Clark, D. F., & Wooley, J. L. (2020, October). Raising Broilers and Turkeys for Competition. Retrieved from University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-8004.pdf

The Organization will play a prominent role as it will host the Alliance’s support mechanism at its headquarters in Rome

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) formalized its membership as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a G20 initiative championed by Brazil to dramatically expedite efforts to achieve the eradication of poverty and hunger by 2030 as well as to reduce inequalities.

In joining FAO said it “commits to collaborate with other Alliance members to develop innovative solutions and share good practices in learning and knowledge exchange and dissemination on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, data collection and analysis, including by leveraging existing local, national, and international knowledge networks, coalitions, communities and other fora related to aspects relevant to the fight against hunger and poverty.”

The Global Alliance has garnered unanimous support at G20 members this year. It will be formally launched at the G20 Leaders Summit in mid-November. Numerous international financial institutions and UN agencies have or are expected to join along with governments, philanthropic foundations and knowledge institutions.

FAO will play a prominent role as it will host the Alliance’s support mechanism at its headquarters in Rome. The support mechanism will serve as a logistics and coordinating to reduce transaction costs, mitigate risks and maximize yields on donor investments through flexible collaboration instruments and innovative finance modalities.

“The Alliance will enable large-scale country-owned and country-led implementation of evidence-based policy instruments to eradicate hunger and poverty through its national, knowledge and financial pillars,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said. “It will be key to bringing knowledge, expertise and success stories to the parts of the world where it is needed the most,” he added.

The Global Alliance

The Global Alliance is set up to support national public policies such as school meals, cash transfers, maternal and early childhood nutrition, gender equality. Smallholder farmer support and water access and management schemes. It entails an evidence-based Policy Basket and six “sprints” or areas where accelerated actions targeting the most vulnerable can lead to quick, impactful and sustainable results on the ground.

According to FAO, around 735 million people or one in every people in the world faced hunger in 2023, highlighting the challenge of achieving zero hunger by 2030 as pledged in the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Policy Basket at the heart of the Global Alliance contains up to now around 50 policy instruments and numerous linked country examples.

It covers areas from child and family support, conditional and unconditional cash transfers, employment guarantee schemes, school meals programmes, nutrition, support for livelihood diversification, basic education and access to drinking water, access to credit and irrigation resources and climate-smart technologies and support for smallholder farmers.

In its Statement of Commitment, FAO emphasized that the Policy Basket will be collectively built and based on well-defined policy instruments with a clear scope, implementable by governments, -and primarily reaching out to people experiencing poverty and hunger. FAO also indicated its intention to contribute by assembling, analyzing, monitoring and improving access to data and information in areas related to the Organization’s mandate. (PR)

Within the framework of the Resilient Caribbean Initiative (RCI), funded by the Government of Mexico and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Subregional Office for the Caribbean in collaboration with relevant government ministries, the CARICOM Secretariat, and Mexican South-South cooperation partners, the “Reflection Workshop on Achievements and Lessons Learned ” was held in Panama City on September 19-20, 2024.  

This event brought together representatives from various Caribbean countries, project beneficiaries, and key stakeholders to assess the progress and challenges in building resilience to climate change and other crises in the region. It also allowed to reflect on priorities for the future.

The workshop opened with remarks from Ms. Karen de Brouwer, Director of Financing for Development and Emerging Technologies at Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), and Mr. Tony Rojas, General Director for the Execution of Projects Abroad of the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID). Ambassador David Prendergast from the CARICOM Secretariat and Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Caribbean, were also present at the inauguration. 

Dr. Clarke emphasized the significance of the event stating, “This event is of special importance as it brings our current project to a close. It provides us with a valuable opportunity to socialize our experiences, process the lessons we’ve learned, and forge a clear vision for future initiatives. The knowledge we gain here today will undoubtedly serve as the foundation for future projects that build on the successes of this one.”

The Initiative has trained 130 individuals in the water-energy-food nexus and installed 44 solar-powered irrigation and hydroponics systems. It improved kitchens at 26 schools and established 32 school gardens, providing training for teachers and students. Support was given to 28 MSMEs, two government facilities, and seven schools to expand aquaculture/aquaponics facilities. In Haiti, over 70 farmers were trained, and four satellite nurseries were equipped. Additionally, the Initiative mobilized over USD 50 million in climate finance from donors like the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

During the “Voices from the Field” panel, Jamaican farmer Latoya Rattray-Ellis expressed gratitude for receiving a 1,000-gallon water storage tank and a solar-powered hydroponic system that can produce 400 seedlings. Sheir Williams from Antigua and Barbuda shared how a 5,000-gallon water storage cistern and solar-powered drip irrigation system significantly boosted her farm’s production. In Belize, Ms. Seleni Grajales, Principal of Santa Martha Public School, emphasized how the school feeding program has become a vital source of nutrition for students, improving their focus and energy for learning, while also nurturing their overall well-being.

The “National Perspectives” panel emphasized how the Initiative has strengthened climate resilience in agriculture, providing training, renewable energy solutions, and boosting school feeding and aquaculture programs. Mr. Osmond Harewood of the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation highlighted the Initiative’s role in building resilience in Barbados’ agricultural sector, stressing the importance of planning for timely equipment delivery. 

During group discussions, participants noted achievements like increased use of solar technology and rainwater harvesting, which stabilized costs and boosted production during dry seasons. Challenges included limited production capacity, water shortages, crop theft, and project delays. Participants highlighted the importance of promoting local food production, adjusting crop schedules to climate conditions, and creativity in school menu design as key lessons learned.

On the second day the focus shifted to the future of the Resilient Caribbean Initiative. There was a strong consensus that while a solid foundation exists, the commitment of all stakeholders is crucial for sustained progress. Dr. Ulises Dehesa from the Mexican Institute of Water Technology emphasized the need to integrate water and energy solutions, highlighting the importance of community collaboration to ensure long-term sustainability and ownership.

In her keynote presentation, Ms. Catalina Torres outlined the success of Mexico’s National System for the Integral Development of the Family in implementing hot meal programs in schools, improving students’ access to nutritious foods. On his end, Dr. Bernardo Murillo, from the Center for Biological Research of the Northwest, showcased how integrated aquaculture systems could bolster food security and climate resilience in arid Caribbean regions. He emphasized that adopting these models could significantly enhance agricultural productivity and climate change mitigation efforts.

A high-level panel on regional cooperation for climate change adaptation featured representatives from AMEXCID, CARICOM, FAO, and Mexico’s diplomatic corps. The panel highlighted the importance of regional partnerships in enhancing agri-food system resilience. Ambassador Víctor Hugo Morales and Mr. Tony Rojas underscored Mexico’s commitment to cooperation in agriculture and food systems in the Caribbean. The door for a second phase of the Initiative was left open given the positive results achieved. These will be shared with the incoming administration, which was sworn in on October 1 2024.

Group discussions identified priority areas for future efforts, emphasizing the integration of renewable technologies, climate-smart practices, and the need for youth and gender inclusion to ensure a sustainable vision for the region’s agricultural future. 

In closing the event, after giving thanks to the financial and technical support from Mexico through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AMEXCID, and South-South and Triangular cooperation partners, Jacinto Buenfil, FAO Project Coordinator of the Initiative stated that “the foundation exists to continue building on current achievements.” In agreement, participants expressed their request to the government of Mexico to continue supporting the Caribbean with a second phase of the Resilient Caribbean Initiative.  (PR)