Growing Food Where
None Grows Today.
The Caribbean has 459,500 hectares of accessible idle farmland. Meanwhile, families go hungry. We are here to change that -- using satellite intelligence to turn abandoned land into productive farms that feed every family in need.
The Import Crisis
An Entire Region Dependent
on Imported Food
The Caribbean is one of the most food-import-dependent regions on Earth. When global supply chains break -- during pandemics, shipping crises, or hurricanes -- island nations have no fallback. The food simply does not arrive.
of Caribbean food is imported
Source: FAO Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS)
Annual Food Import Bill
Fifteen Caribbean nations collectively spend $8.4 billion per year importing food that could be grown locally. For small island economies, this is a devastating drain on foreign reserves.
Source: Sum of 15-nation food import bills from FAO FAOSTAT 2023-2024 and national trade statistics
Caribbean Food Insecurity
Nearly half of the population across CARICOM countries experienced moderate or severe food insecurity following the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing the fragility of import-dependent food systems.
Source: FAO State of Food Security 2022
Supply Chain Collapse Window
When a Category 4+ hurricane strikes, ports close and supply lines sever. Island nations have approximately 72 hours of food reserves before shortages become critical.
Source: CDEMA Disaster Assessment Reports
The Human Cost
When supply chains break, islands starve
During COVID-19, Caribbean food prices surged 30-50% as shipping containers were diverted to more profitable routes. After Hurricane Maria devastated Dominica in 2017, the island lost 100% of its agricultural production and depended entirely on emergency food aid for months. Haiti routinely faces acute hunger crises. These are not hypotheticals -- they are the recurring reality of a region that grows almost none of what it eats.
The Satellite Discovery
108 Months of
Sentinel-2 Data
IAGRO SAT conducted the first comprehensive satellite census of idle agricultural land ever performed in the Caribbean. 108 months (9 years) of Sentinel-2 imagery at 10-metre resolution, across 15 nations. This intelligence did not exist before. Traditional approaches would cost millions and take years. IAGRO SAT delivered it at a fraction of the cost.
Across 15 Caribbean nations, our analysis identified 459,500 hectares of land classified as grassland or shrubland that was once farmed but now sits idle. This land has suitable soil, adequate rainfall, and existing road access. It is not forest. It is not urban. It is simply unused.
Methodology
Already Delivered
The proof it works is that it already exists.
The research, data, and analysis are already done. This is not a proposal waiting for funding to begin research -- the intelligence is built.
The Pilot Island
In Barbados alone, we identified 13,468 hectares of grassland -- 3.8 times more than all existing cropland on the island. This land is managed by BADMC (Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation) and is available for lease. The satellite data is unambiguous: the land exists, and it is not being used.
Source: ESA WorldCover 2021 + Sentinel-2 temporal analysis
Regional Accessible Land — Tier 2 (Top 8 Nations)
Source: Tier 2 accessible land — legally accessible after tenure, soil, infrastructure, and protected-area filters. Haiti excluded (0 ha accessible under current conditions).
The Model
Land Pays for Food.
Food is Free for Families.
CaribVista is not a charity asking for donations. It is a self-sustaining system where the economics of farming pay for free food distribution. Export revenue funds operations. The land pays for itself.
Lease Idle Land
Negotiate long-term leases with government land management agencies (BADMC in Barbados). Land is already identified by satellite census -- no speculation, only confirmed idle parcels.
Train & Employ Local Farmers
Recruit and train local workers as full-time employees with benefits. Not contract farming -- real employment. Agricultural training programmes developed with local extension services.
Intelligence, Training, and Action Plans
IAGRO SAT is not just monitoring -- it is a complete knowledge base with action plans. 10m resolution crop health, stress detection, yield forecasting, and hurricane assessment. Plus a 4-module agricultural training programme (Agroforestry, Food Crops, Pasture, Greenhouse) and per-country action plans. Data-driven farming backed by education.
The 70/30 Production Split
Every hectare serves two purposes simultaneously
Root vegetables, legumes, leafy greens, fruits, and staples that form the basis of Caribbean diets. Distributed free of charge to all families in need through parish-level distribution centres.
High-value export crops: specialty cocoa, premium coffee, organic spices, and tropical fruits for international markets. Revenue funds operations, farmer salaries, and expansion.
No family pays for essential food. Ever.
The 30% export revenue covers all operating costs -- land leases, farmer salaries, equipment, logistics, and distribution. The 70% food crops are distributed at zero cost. This is not subsidy-dependent. It is structurally self-funding.
The Vision
A Caribbean Food Network
Not charity. Not aid. A self-sustaining inter-island food redistribution network where countries with surplus send to countries with less. The Caribbean feeding itself.
How the Network Operates
Production Hubs
Each island operates CaribVista farms on its idle land, producing both food crops and export crops.
Surplus Tracking
Satellite yield forecasting predicts surplus weeks in advance. IAGRO SAT data drives logistics planning.
Inter-Island Transport
Existing CARICOM trade corridors and shipping routes move surplus food between islands at minimal cost.
Deficit Filling
Islands with less arable land (e.g., Barbuda, smaller Eastern Caribbean) receive surplus from larger producers (Guyana, Belize).
Projected Regional Impact
Based on IAGRO SAT social impact modelling across 15 nations
Source: IAGRO SAT Caribbean Social Impact Model (reports/social_impact.py)
CARICOM Trade Integration
The food network leverages the existing CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) framework, which already eliminates tariffs on agricultural goods between member states. No new trade agreements are required -- only production capacity.
Roadmap
From Pilot to Regional System
Seven years from first harvest in Barbados to full Caribbean food sovereignty. Each phase is self-funding from the previous phase's export revenue.
Barbados Pilot
Jamaica + Trinidad
Continental Caribbean
Full Caribbean Coverage
Take Action
This is not a plan on paper.
The satellite data is computed. The feasibility is studied. The entity structure is designed. The social impact model is built. The land is identified, parcel by parcel.
Now we need partners.