World Food Day 2026 Saint Lucia Must Grow What We Eat And Eat What We Grow

Saint Lucia joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Food Day 2026 under the theme “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow,” the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Sustainable Development, in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Marketing Board, will host its national World Food Day celebration on Sunday, October 18, at the Odsan IRDC grounds, bringing farmers, fishers, agro-processors and the wider public together in support of local food production.

World Food Day is being recognized around the world on Friday, October 16, Saint Lucia is being challenged to take decisive action to strengthen food security, expand local production and build a more resilient agricultural sector.

For Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Sustainable Development, Hon. Lisa C. Jawahir, the message is clear: Saint Lucia’s ability to feed itself must become a national priority.

“Innovation cannot remain a concept. It must reach our farmers in the field and our fishers at sea. It must help us produce more, reduce losses, withstand climate shocks, strengthen markets and create profitable opportunities for the next generation. Food security is everybody’s business, and the choices we make today will determine how well we can feed ourselves tomorrow,” Minister Jawahir emphasised.

Achieving this vision requires more than increasing production. It calls for modern and climate-resilient farming practices, stronger markets for local producers, greater investment in value-added products, reduced food loss and meaningful opportunities for young people to enter agriculture.

The national observance will also reinforce the call championed by Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre: “Grow what we eat and eat what we grow.” This is a call to action for every Saint Lucian—from farmers and fishers to supermarkets, hotels, schools, businesses and households—to support local produce and help build a stronger domestic food sysem.

On Sunday, October 18, the public is invited to the Odsan IRDC grounds for a celebration of Saint Lucia’s agricultural heritage, local enterprise and food culture. Activities will include a farmers’ and butchers’ market, local food, a cultural couture display, live entertainment, co-operatives and agro- processors, as well as a children’s play area featuring a petting zoo.

Beyond the celebration, the Ministry is advancing a broader vision for an agricultural sector that creates livelihoods, strengthens national resilience and reduces dependence on imported food.

This World Food Day, the message is simple: the future of Saint Lucia’s food security begins with what we produce, what we buy and what we choose to support today.

The Ministry invites the public to join the celebration on Sunday, October 18, at the Odsan IRDC grounds, as Saint Lucia works towards a more productive, resilient and food-secure future—and its ambition of becoming a breadbasket of the Southern Caribbean.