Virtual Event Hosted by 17 Asset Management and FAO
This event aimed to drive international investors to Caribbean agribusiness opportunities. Attendees represented institutional investors, impact investors, corporates, international non-profits and foundations, the DFI community, and leading agribusiness entrepreneurs in the region.
Key country leadership spoke on the case for investment in the region, and guests were guided through the full landscape of opportunities and challenges in the sector. Attendees heard from a selection of agribusinesses raising capital for investment-ready projects, as well as key enablers on how to mitigate investment risks, enhance financial returns, and maximize impact.
Enjoy the recordings from the event below.
Welcoming Remarks: FAO and 17 Asset Management
Conference hosts welcome attendees and introduce the event's objectives and purpose.
Speakers:
Renata Clarke, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Sub-regional Coordinator for the Caribbean
John Morris, 17 Asset Management, Founder and CEO
Opening Remarks: Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, Guyana, Minister of Agriculture
Opening Remarks at the Caribbean Agri-Food Investors Conference.
Speaker:
Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, Guyana, Minister of Agriculture
Keynote Address: Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana
Keynote address for the Caribbean Agri-Food Investors Conference.
Speaker:
* President of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali
Session: The Caribbean Agri Food Landscape
Moderated by:
Shaun Baugh, CARICOM Programme Manager for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development
Panelists include:
Hon. Indar Weir, Barbados Minister of Agriculture and Food Security
Hon. Clay Sweeting, Bahamas Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources
Hon. Floyd Green, Jamaica Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining
Session: Investment Approaches in the Agri-Food Space in the Caribbean
Moderated by:
John Morris, 17 Asset Management, CEO
Panelists:
Stephen Grell, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Managing Director
Patrick Antoine, CPSO, Chief Executive Officer and Technical Director
Monica Navarrete, Inter-American Development Bank, Senior Investment Officer
Spotlight: AgriFi Investment Facility
Spotlight: AgriFi Investment Facility offers impact Investments in sustainable agriculture supporting smallholder farmers. This session details on the catalytic financing and technical assistance available to businesses and projects. Actively looking for investments in the Caribbean.
Speaker:
Bart Coenegrachts, AgriFi, Senior Investment Officer
Spotlight: Methods Transforming the Agri Food Space in the Caribbean
Speakers:
Melvin Medina, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Plant Production and Protection Officer
Jason Jackson, 17 Asset Management, Sustainable Investing Fellow
Introduction: Agri Food Opportunities Showcase
Introduction to Agri Food Opportunities Showcase.
Showcase Host:
Leo Naut, Caribbean Export Development Agency, Deputy Executive Director
Opportunity in Physical Markets - Green Market: Trinidad & Tobago
This opportunity features Green Market in Santa Cruz, Trinidad & Tobago - a 10-year-old social enterprise.
Speaker:
Vicki Assevero, Green Market - Trinidad & Tobago, Founder
Opportunity: Digital Markets - D'Market Movers: Trinidad & Tobago
Speaker:
Rachel Renie, Market Movers, Managing Director
Opportunity: Fish - Shorelinez: Barbados
This opportunity features Shorelinez, a fresh and frozen fish processing facility in Barbados.
Speaker:
Phil Lashley, Shorelinez
Opportunity: Soursop - Simply Pure Agro Processing: Grenada
This opportunity in soursop features Simply Pure Agro Processing, founded in 2018 and located in Grenada.
Speaker:
Marlon St. Louis, Simply Pure Agro Processing Inc. (Grenada), Partner
Opportunity: Sea Moss - Benjamin's Agro Processing: Dominica
Speaker:
Lifford Wallace, Benjamin’s Agro Processing, Operations Manager
Opportunity: Spices - JACRA: Jamaica
This opportunity in Spices features the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), based in Jamaica.
Speakers:
Tiffany Hedge-Ross, JACRA, Research Coordinator (Acting)
Chevonne Aschute, JACRA, Field Advisory Coordinator (Acting)
Opportunity: People - Global Food Warrior: Trinidad & Tobago
This opportunity in people features Global Food Warrior, a social enterprise focused on reducing food deserts in the US and the Caribbean. Founded in 2016 and based in Trinidad & Tobago.
Speaker:
Colette Burnett, Global Food Warrior, Founder/C.E.O
Opportunity: Chicken - Caribbean Poultry Association: Trinidad and Tobago
This opportunity in chicken features the Caribbean Poultry Association, which covers the entire CARICOM region. The association was founded in Atlanta in 1999 and is based in Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaker:
Dr. Desmond Ali, Caribbean Poultry Association, Executive Director
Closing Remarks: FAO
Closing remarks provided by FAO to formally wrap up the Caribbean Agri-Food Investors Conference, a virtual event hosted on June 13, 2023.
Speaker:
Juan CheazPelaez, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Representative a.i. Barbados