The Caribbean poultry industry supplies close to 82 per cent of the animal-based protein consumed across the region, underscoring its importance to food security as producers seek to expand local output, modernise farming practices and reduce dependence on extra-regional imports.
The Caribbean Poultry Association (CPA), in its World Food Day message on October 16, said greater investment in technology, climate-smart farming and regional cooperation would be essential to maintaining affordable poultry supplies amid climate volatility, supply-chain disruptions and rising production costs.
World Food Day 2026 is being observed under the theme “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow.”
The association said it and its members were pursuing improvements in poultry production systems to strengthen regional food security and increase broiler meat production across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Among the measures being adopted are modern poultry houses with tunnel ventilation and automated environmental controls to help protect birds from extreme heat and severe weather. Producers are also strengthening on-farm biosecurity to reduce the risk of animal diseases and working with feed manufacturers to improve nutrition and make better use of locally produced ingredients.
The CPA said data-driven feeding systems could improve production efficiency while helping keep poultry products affordable and competitive.
The association also highlighted the importance of strengthening the wider agricultural value chain by involving small and medium-sized enterprises, women and young entrepreneurs in poultry production and related services.
Greater use of locally grown feed crops, particularly corn and soya beans, was identified as another priority. The CPA pointed to expanding production in Guyana and Belize as part of efforts to reduce the region’s dependence on imported agricultural inputs.
These initiatives align with CARICOM’s 25 by 2025+5 food-security initiative, which seeks to reduce the region’s food import bill by increasing agricultural production and strengthening regional food systems.
However, the association said food security could not be achieved by individual countries or the private sector acting alone. It called on CARICOM governments and international partners to work more closely with producers to address barriers to regional trade and agricultural investment.
Among its recommendations was the harmonisation of sanitary and phytosanitary requirements to facilitate the movement of poultry products and hatching eggs between Caribbean countries.
The CPA also called for sustained access to farmer training, technology, agricultural extension services and veterinary support, alongside affordable financing for producers seeking to modernise infrastructure and adopt climate-smart systems.
The association said coordinated action by governments, industry and development partners would be necessary to build a more resilient poultry sector and ensure reliable supplies of protein for Caribbean households.
It maintained that investment in science, modern infrastructure and regional cooperation would be central to strengthening the industry’s ability to feed the region in the years ahead.
