The panel was chaired by H.E. Ms. Maria Madalena Brito Neves, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries of Cape Verde; and moderated by Professor Albert Henry Binger, Director, Center for Environment and Development, University of the West Indies and Coordinator of the UNDP SIDS Expert Group.

The following panellists made introductory statements: H.E. The Hon. Toke Talagi, Deputy Prime and Minister of the Environment of Niue; Dr. Michael Witter, University of the West Indies of Jamaica; Mrs. Teresa Manarangi-Trott of the Cook Islands; The Hon. Siv Jensen, Chairman of the Finance Committee in the Norwegian Parliament; and Mr. Kim Hak Su, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

The Chairperson and panellists held and interactive discussion on the topic with the representatives of Senegal, France, Vanuatu and Guyana, as well as the representative of the Caribbean Development Bank.

The representatives of the following major groups also participated in the discussion:
Farmers and the Local Authorities.

The panellists reacted to comments made by the participants.

The Chairman summarized the points discussed.