Caribbean Agrifood Business Session n°23

Smart food production and digitization: how Caribbean agrifood entrepreneurs can use data and technology

The Caribbean remains one of the most food-import-dependent regions in the world. More than 60 percent of the food consumed in CARICOM is imported, and some Member States import over 80 percent. Between 2018 and 2020, the regional food import bill reached approximately US$13.7 billion, equivalent to about 15 percent of regional GDP. CARICOM Heads of Government responded with Vision 25 by 2025, and the region has made real progress. Regional food production grew by approximately 24 percent between 2022 and 2024, and the initiative has been extended to 2030 as Vision 25 by 2025+5, with a stronger focus on technology, investment and resilience[1].

Production gains alone have not yet closed the gap. CARICOM’s own statistics show nominal food imports rising from US$3.49 billion in 2020 to US$5.12 billion in 2024, reflecting both price inflation and continued demand[2]. Regional producers must therefore become more productive and competitive, not simply produce more. They must also contend with high operating costs. Caribbean electricity prices average around US$0.25 per kWh, more than double those in the United States and exceeding US$0.40 in some countries[3]. Climate change compounds these pressures, as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and extreme weather disrupt established production systems.

Against this backdrop, smart food production presents an opportunity to transform food systems across the region. Smart food production refers to the use of data, technology and innovative growing methods to make production more efficient, productive and resilient. Examples include precision agriculture, controlled environment agriculture, automated irrigation, and the use of weather and soil data to guide decisions. Digitization complements these approaches by using digital tools to manage farm and enterprise operations, track costs and yields, ensure traceability, connect with buyers and access finance. These tools range from mobile applications and digital records to sensors, satellite imagery, drones and artificial intelligence[4].

The regional policy environment is now aligned behind this agenda. In October 2025, CARICOM agriculture ministers endorsed a regional E-Agriculture  Strategy. It supports Vision 25 by 2025+5 through six pillars: rural connectivity, precision agriculture, digital financial services, digital skills, e-commerce, and policy and governance. It places particular emphasis on youth, women and agripreneurs[5]. For Caribbean agrifood businesses, the question is no longer whether to digitize, but which investments will deliver returns in a small-island operating environment.

Unlocking the potential of smart food production and digitisation requires a coordinated approach that improves entrepreneurs’ access to appropriate technologies, finance, technical support and skills development, while strengthening collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders.

This webinar will bring together Caribbean agrifood entrepreneurs who have adopted smart production and digital technologies, alongside experts working to strengthen the enabling environment for their uptake.

The objectives of the webinar include:

1. Sharing practical experiences, business benefits and lessons learned from technology adoption.
2. Exploring affordable and commercially viable technological solutions for agrifood MSMEs.
3. Identifying the support, partnerships and enabling conditions needed to accelerate adoption across the Caribbean.

[1] CARICOM. 2026. “Food Security Initiative Delivering Tangible Results – CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General.”

[2] Caribbean Issues. 2026. “CARICOM 25×25: The Caribbean Food-Import Reckoning.”

[3] World Bank. 2022. “AskWBCaribbean: Talking Energy, Finding Solutions.”

[4] World Bank. 2021. What’s Cooking: Digital Transformation of the Agrifood System

[5] IICA. n.d. “CARICOM E-Agriculture Strategy.” Observatory of Public Policies for Agrifood Systems (OPSAA).