[{"bbox": [96, 165, 1163, 219], "category": "Text", "text": "crucial to favour regional cooperation, to simplify procedures whenever possible and to reinforce the support provided to each OCT on daily-basis."}, {"bbox": [96, 218, 1163, 352], "category": "Text", "text": "The 11th EDF thematic programme Green Overseas⁷ for all OCTs has set-up a demand-driven facility, which is a successful and efficient way of selection and implementation of projects to inspire this Action. Green Overseas is also funding projects on agriculture in Aruba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten. Sint Eustatius has also a territorial 2021-27 programme (budget support) on agriculture⁸, Bonaire (budget support)⁹ and Curaçao¹⁰ will have one on water and sanitation. BESTLIFE 2030 will also fund projects on biodiversity.¹¹"}, {"bbox": [85, 366, 340, 396], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 412, 316, 440], "category": "Text", "text": "Short problem analysis:"}, {"bbox": [96, 464, 1163, 651], "category": "Text", "text": "The Caribbean OCTs' specific characteristics (small size, remoteness, limited resource base and export products, etc.) make them highly vulnerable to external economic shocks as well as global environmental and climate problems. The effects of climate change and natural disasters, of which, specifically hurricanes and droughts are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, particularly affect the Caribbean OCTs. In addition, the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain of essential goods and commodities (including food) call for effective measures to be taken by the Caribbean OCTs to proactively ensure robust access to essential services and food supply chains, to avoid socio-economic disruptions and to safeguard sustainable development of the Caribbean OCTs."}, {"bbox": [96, 651, 1163, 837], "category": "Text", "text": "In the Caribbean OCTs, socioeconomic inequalities are notably pronounced. These territories often face challenges such as high unemployment rates, limited economic diversification, and disparities in access to quality education and healthcare. The economic reliance on tourism and external aid further exacerbates these inequalities, with wealth and opportunities concentrated in a few sectors and regions. Additionally, issues like high cost of living and limited local infrastructure contribute to uneven development, impacting marginalized communities more severely. Addressing these disparities requires targeted policies that promote economic diversification, improve access to essential services, and support local entrepreneurship."}, {"bbox": [96, 862, 1163, 1077], "category": "Text", "text": "To improve and strengthen the sustainable management of Caribbean OCTs' natural capital, two interrelated strategic themes of intervention are identified which are essential to achieve the sustainable development of Caribbean OCTs: the strengthening of food and nutrition security and the protection, restoration and good management of biodiversity. Water management and sanitation is considered integrated in both themes as a cross-cutting objective of strengthening regional cooperation. The production of more food on the same or less land requires to minimise environmental and climate impacts, notably with less nutrients and pollution released in the marine environment. The protection of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the management of sargassum are also crucial to achieve resilient food systems, for example mangroves and sargassum have a role as a nursery for some fish species."}, {"bbox": [96, 1102, 538, 1129], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### The strengthening of food and nutrition security"}, {"bbox": [96, 1130, 1163, 1317], "category": "Text", "text": "Agriculture and fisheries' production is essential for achieving the food security of Caribbean OCTs. However, the agricultural sector is largely underdeveloped and the OCTs rely heavily on food imports. This dependency on food import, combined with high transport costs, make the OCTs vulnerable to external shocks. A large share of food import consists of processed food, which has its effect on nutrition and public health. OCTs also face an increased water demand (mainly from the tourism sector and the evolving agricultural sector). Overexploitation can also affect the quality of water (though the intrusion of seawater in groundwater for example). Several OCTs lack essential masterplans for properly guiding their water sector."}, {"bbox": [96, 1317, 1163, 1422], "category": "Text", "text": "The specific conditions in the OCTs call for appropriate agriculture production technologies to address constraints such as poor soil quality and limited land and water availability as well as the sustainable management of fisheries. The need for more emphasis on processing/value-added production would also significantly help to reduce agriculture product wastage."}, {"bbox": [85, 1524, 408, 1550], "category": "Footnote", "text": "7 https://www.green-overseas.org/en"}, {"bbox": [85, 1549, 724, 1574], "category": "Footnote", "text": "8 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/sint-eustatius_en"}, {"bbox": [85, 1573, 776, 1598], "category": "Footnote", "text": "9 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/bonaire_en#documents"}, {"bbox": [85, 1597, 680, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "10 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/curacao_en"}, {"bbox": [85, 1621, 317, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "11 https://bestlife2030.org/"}, {"bbox": [1027, 1653, 1144, 1680], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 7 of 25"}]