Food Systems Profile – Jamaica

This profile explores Jamaica’s food system vulnerabilities and transformation opportunities. Despite being an upper-middle-income country, Jamaica faces high inequality, youth unemployment, violence, and governance issues that hinder food system resilience. Key risks include climate change, reliance on food imports, and high food loss (30–40%). Jamaica has export opportunities in superfoods and sauces, and offers local substitutes for staples. The profile recommends enhancing nutrition literacy, supporting smallholders, and introducing climate-smart agriculture to increase sustainability and resilience.