Caribbean Agrifood Business Session n°20

Financing Caribbean agrifood entrepreneurs: strategies to access investment

Agrifood systems are central to economic resilience, rural employment, and food security across the Caribbean. The sector plays a vital role in livelihoods, particularly in rural communities, and is critical to reducing the region’s high food import dependency. CARICOM countries collectively import more than USD 5 billion in food annually[1], underscoring the urgency of strengthening domestic production, agro-processing, and regional value chains.

Recent and ongoing challenges, including climate disasters, global supply chain disruptions, and economic volatility, have underscored the vulnerabilities of Caribbean food systems. At the same time, they have reinforced the importance of investing in local agrifood enterprises to improve resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness[2].

Despite the sector’s strategic importance, investment levels remain insufficient. Public agricultural expenditure has declined in several Caribbean countries over the past decade, and spending patterns have often prioritized short-term support measures over long-term productivity-enhancing investments such as research and development, irrigation, innovation, and climate adaptation. Private financing remains constrained, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which form the backbone of the region’s agrifood economy.

Access to appropriate and affordable finance remains one of the most binding constraints for agrifood entrepreneurs seeking to formalize, scale, innovate, or integrate into higher-value markets.

This webinar will explore practical strategies to unlock financing opportunities for Caribbean agrifood entrepreneurs by bringing together successful entrepreneurs who have accessed investment and financial experts who design and deliver impactful financing solutions to the sector.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
• Identify the main structural and practical barriers that Caribbean agrifood entrepreneurs face in accessing finance, including climate risk, collateral requirements, informality, and limited financial literacy.
• Recognize emerging financing opportunities, including blended finance, value chain financing, impact investment, and digital financial solutions relevant to the Caribbean agrifood sector.
• Draw concrete, actionable lessons from real entrepreneurial experiences of securing investment, including what worked, what changed, and what others can replicate.
• Apply practical steps to improve their own investment readiness, including strengthening business plans, formalizing operations, improving financial records, and building market linkages.
• Engage directly with financing experts and fellow entrepreneurs to build networks and explore potential partnerships or funding pathways relevant to their businesses.

[1] Hope Research Group. Caribbean Agriculture Market.

[2] Prensa Latina. Access to financing, a priority issue at Caribbean agricultural forum.