High-Level Food Systems Investment Forum Convened in Barbados to Mobilize Private Capital for Resilient Caribbean Food Systems

The United Nations Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, along with key partners, are advancing a capital‑first approach to food systems transformation, positioning the sector as a viable and strategic asset class for investment across the region.

A high‑level Food Systems Investment Forum convened in Barbados yesterday,  under the theme Mobilizing Equity Capital for Resilient Food Systems in the Caribbean, brought together Ministers of Agriculture and senior representatives from across the Caribbean, alongside international financial institutions, private investors, and development partners, to drive forward a shared agenda of investment-led transformation.

The opening session, ‘From Policy to Capital Deployment,’ underscored the urgent need to bridge the financing gap in Caribbean food systems and unlock new sources of private capital. 

Delivering Opening Remarks, Mr. Simon Springett, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean stressed that Caribbean food systems remained under pressure with capital flows misaligned, financing  dominated by loans or grants and patient equity largely absent. At the same time, he noted that private investment was also being directed into other sectors like real estate – and not into the productive food economy.

He urged governments to strengthen enabling environments and encouraged investors to recognize the emerging pipeline across agriculture fisheries, processing, and logistics.

“The opportunity is here. Capital exists. But they are not connected in a structured and meaningful way. This forum is designed to change that …through a different kind of conversation - one that starts with capital: how investors assess risk, what makes a project bankable, and what actually unlocks deals,” he said.

Building on this call to action, John Morris, Chairman of International Asset Management and Managing Partner of the CaribGROW Fund, emphasized that Caribbean businesses with proven revenue, experienced management, and defensible market positions can deliver genuine returns. 

“The challenge is not the opportunity—the challenge is capital,” he noted. 

Drawing on a sporting analogy, Mr. Morris described capital markets as a team sport, where success requires diverse actors working together. He credited multilateral institutions, development finance, regional banks, and governments for laying the foundations, but underscored that equity remains the missing ingredient. 

“Equity is where ownership, wealth creation, and wealth retention live,” he explained, warning that without it, businesses struggle to scale and remain vulnerable to foreign acquisition. “We take minority stakes, so families retain control and wealth stays in the region,” he concluded.

With the stage set by Mr. Springett’s call for structured capital flows and Mr. Morris’ emphasis on equity, the Forum turned to its final speaker, Dr. The Honourable Shantal Munro‑Knight, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security, Barbados, who captured the buzz already  evident in the room. She noted the shared sense of purpose among participants: “This is an acknowledgement that we  have come here to do something big—and that is important. I also see in the room, people of like minds who I do not have to convince of the importance of the conversation, and the importance  that dialogue around food systems has moved beyond just production.”

Framing food systems as one of the most significant economic and development opportunities for the Caribbean, Minister Munro‑Knight urged both governments and investors to recognize the transformative potential. “If you want an equation that answers one of the most fundamental challenges facing this region—our food security—while also enabling social and structural economic transformation, then you’re in the right place at the right time,” she declared.

Drawing parallels to the Bridgetown Initiative, she stressed that ‘meeting the moment’ requires innovative partnerships that treat Caribbean voices as equal at the table and rethink how capital is structured and delivered. 

“Food systems are about big things—logistics, agro‑processing, cold chains, digital transformation, technology in agriculture. These are investable opportunities, big investable opportunities,” she emphasized as she called on private sector partners to walk alongside governments.  “We’ve come to the table—meet us with your capital,” she implored.

The one-day Forum was designed to move beyond traditional dialogue by facilitating direct engagement between investors and governments, presenting investment-ready opportunities, and advancing transaction development and partnerships. Participants engaged in investor roundtables, thematic sessions, and bilateral meetings aimed at accelerating capital deployment and scaling resilient food systems initiatives. By focusing on equity capital, blended finance, and market-driven solutions, the Forum sought to unlock the full economic and resilience potential of Caribbean food systems while advancing progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

At its conclusion, the UN Team  launched an official Deal Book. The curated portfolio highlights US$320 million in investment-ready opportunities across the region’s food systems. This product is designed to continue the deal making commenced during the forum, and  catalyse  partnerships between investors and enterprises.

Please see link to the  flickr album