In Jamaica, food security is becoming serious business

Local food and food security in North America are often described as elitist concerns for people who can afford to shop around and pay for local, fresh, quality food. As this New York Times story shows, in Jamaica, the soaring costs and unreliable supplies of imported food are prompting government programs that match idle hands and arable land in the cause of food security. Local foods are prominently labelled to support local farmers. As in North America, there is still huge dependence on imported food, but the advantages of local food are being understood and promoted.