In an opinion piece at Caribbean Net News, Maura Curley makes the case for strengthening the Caribbean’s local and regional food culture.
Why can’t we strive to create a food culture that is at least 85 percent Caribbean grown?
Does it really make any sense to be dependent upon shipping thousands of tons of food from the mainland?
Why can’t we fund and patronize more farmers and educate more people about agriculture? Why can’t we create more specialties made in the Caribbean food products with our abundance of coconuts, mangos and lesser-known delicacies like soursop, and tamarind?
Locally grown food is better for our bodies and the Caribbean economy. It would increase tourism too.
Let’s eat well beginning this Earth Day, and encourage our visitors to experience local fruits, roots, breads, poultry and meat — all preservative free in ‘paradise.’
I couldn’t agree more, and am glad to see Caribbean commentators advocating that we eat what we grow and grow what we eat.
[Photo: Dixon Tam. (And for more mouth-watering photos of Caribbean food, visit the Caribbean Cuisine pool at Flickr.com.)]
