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When the FAO offers assistance to these island nations, the revenue generated from the sale of locally produced agricultural products can be used to purchase from or exchange with other nations for protein alternatives such as soybeans, reducing the demand of these island nations for a constant supply of fish to satisfy protein and energy needs. Furthermore, this exchange of food resources may also increase the diversity of the local diet, increasing the nutrition of the local population.
In addition, since many of these island nations depend on tourism for the generation of revenue, island nations inevitably have to import food to feed their tourists. For example, Caribbean island nations import $2.3 billion of food products annually to feed their tourists, while generating a negative trade deficit of $0.45 billion (FAO, 2000). In essence, these island nations are generating debt in return for tourism. To combat this effect, emphasis could be placed on agricultural tourism, exhibiting the variety of methods that must be used in island agriculture. Thus, tourism should be used to increase the welfare of these island states and generate mutual benefits rather than polarizing the economic circumstances of these island nations. With support from the tourism industry and the FAO in promoting local agricultural projects, small island nations may be able to reduce dependence on fish as a source of protein.
Japan: A Special Case
Japan is an especially tough country in which to implement our solutions for the following reasons:
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