U.S. Ended USAID Funding for Caribbean Agriculture and Climate Projects in 2025

The United States ended funding for multiple USAID programs supporting agriculture and climate resilience in the Caribbean after the agency was dismantled in 2025. A farmer in Suriname had borrowed money to expand his fields and diversify crops after receiving advice through a USAID-backed project.

The assistance ended before the promised market connections and technical support were delivered, leaving the farmer with debt and no revenue from the new plantings. Sandiford Edwards, who directed the Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity, said the farmer abandoned agriculture after the project closed.

Allocations included $11.8 million for Jamaica, $24 million for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, and $17 million for a regional development framework. The Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity received a $6.3 million budget in 2024 to link farmers with buyers, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand access to finance in eight countries.

A separate $2.7 million project in the Dominican Republic was designed to assist 1,500 farmers facing higher fertilizer costs and supply disruptions.

The World Food Programme estimates that 3.2 million people, or 42 percent of the population in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, are food insecure. USAID had supported training, water infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and efforts to strengthen local food systems before the funding ended.

Racquel Moses, chief executive of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator, said the loss of the programs created uncertainty for security, economic stability, and regional influence objectives. An education and employment program in Jamaica called EMPOWER had received a $3 million allocation over five years before its funding stopped.