The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank's Monetary Council has approved an additional EC$25 million grant to strengthen food and nutrition security across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, according to Antigua News Room. The new allocation brings the Bank's total commitment to the initiative to EC$50 million.
The Council approved the funding during its 113th meeting, held in Dominica on Friday, as part of the ECCB's "Big Push" strategy to build a more resilient regional economy.
The new grant builds on an initial EC$25 million allocation approved in February 2025 and signals the Council's continued resolve to address food and nutrition challenges throughout the currency union. The additional funding is intended to reduce the region's dependence on imported food while bolstering the economic resilience of Eastern Caribbean states.
"Recognising the strategic importance of food and nutrition security to The Big Push, the Monetary Council approved an additional grant of EC$25 million to support member governments' ongoing efforts in this strategic priority area," the Council's communiqué stated.
Food and nutrition security is one of seven strategic priorities under the ECCB's "Big Push" agenda, which aims to accelerate economic transformation through regional cooperation. The other six priority areas are human capital development, energy resilience, digital transformation, financial inclusion and wealth creation, tourism, and trade logistics and connectivity.
The Monetary Council said the continued investment reflects its long-term commitment to reducing the Eastern Caribbean's vulnerability to external food supply disruptions and advancing sustained economic resilience across member states.
