Prime Minister Gaston Browne has renewed the national conversation on food security, warning that Antigua and Barbuda’s heavy reliance on imports, particularly from the United States, leaves the country vulnerable if supply chains are disrupted.

Speaking during a recent radio discussion, Browne painted a stark picture of vulnerability, noting that a prolonged interruption in shipments could have severe consequences.

He argued that the country’s consumption patterns make it dangerously dependent on external suppliers and used the scenario to underscore the urgency of boosting domestic food production.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne

His comments come at a time when the United States is facing mounting pressures that could affect regional and international supply chains.

Ongoing geopolitical tensions, disruptions to global shipping routes, labour shortages in key sectors, climate-related events affecting agricultural output, and periodic congestion at major ports have all contributed to uncertainty in food and commodity distribution.

This is compounded by domestic policy shifts, trade enforcement measures, and tighter border and transport regulations, which can slow the movement of goods even without a full-scale crisis.

Against that backdrop, the Prime Minister again urged greater private-sector participation in agriculture, stressing that the state cannot bear the burden of farming alone.

He cited his involvement in commercial agriculture as evidence that farming can be financially viable, suggesting that those with capital should view the sector as an investment opportunity rather than a subsistence activity.