The English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean comprises several Small Island Developing States that face similar challenges in managing economic, financial, geographic and climate-related impacts that affect the food and nutrition security of the most vulnerable, particularly in crises. These countries and territories are also exposed to hazards such as droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, storms and volcanic eruptions.

Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean in late October and early November 2025, affecting almost 6 million people across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica.

The World Food Programme (WFP) carried out emergency food distributions for the worst-affected families. WFP also supported millions of people through cash transfers and early warnings ahead of the storm, which helped protect lives and livelihoods.

The high cost of living and the lingering impact of COVID-19 are driving food insecurity in the region. High-energy prices are further exacerbating the food-price crisis and affecting the affordability and consumption of food, especially for the poorest families.

Climate-related disasters continue to increase in frequency and intensity, reversing significant development gains, paralysing national response capacity, and threatening progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While there is a foundation of regional and national institutions to address the needs of vulnerable people, there is a need improve data access and analysis, coordination and visualization, for improved planning and decision making.

Furthermore, Caribbean states face some of the highest rates debt in the world. Government debts average 90.1 percent of GDP since 2020, placing the region significantly above the World Bank’s threshold for developing countries. Caribbean governments are advocating for more innovative climate financing and access to resources, to increase climate resilience.

WFP Caribbean works with national, regional and international partners to strengthen resilience to the climate crisis, and to other risks. WFP adopts a systems-focused approach as part of its capacity-strengthening efforts, through research and advocacy, digitalization, human-resource development, South-South Cooperation, and by investing in critical infrastructure and assets. WFP works with partners to provide direct assistance to vulnerable people impacted by shocks, when events surpass national and regional capacities.

These investments place the most vulnerable people at the centre of efforts to minimize the combined impacts of climate, economic and other shocks. WFP Caribbean’s 2022-2026 Multi-Country Strategic Plan supports 22 countries and territories across the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean through the provision of expertise in vulnerability analysis and mapping; end-to-end supply-chain management; shock-responsive social protection; food-systems strengthening, and climate-risk financing.

Countries covered by the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas (the), Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

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WFP Caribbean's emergency preparedness and response operations

What the World Food Programme is doing in the Caribbean

Vulnerability analysis and mapping

WFP Caribbean supports vulnerability and risk analysis, assessments and monitoring of cash programmes, and the introduction of innovations such as digital solutions – including remote surveying – to increase accountability and service delivery, and to inform decision-making. WFP works with partners in the Caribbean to strengthen food security analysis, early-warning systems and mapping capacities. This includes support to monitoring, analysis and forecasting of hazards for early action, and development of contingency plans. WFP supports governments in developing mechanisms tailored to the national context, to monitor and identify vulnerable groups. These efforts inform governments’ procedures, policies and programmes.

Publications

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In focus

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Partners and donors

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) ECHO Germany

Operations in The Caribbean

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Contacts

Office

UN House, Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ Church
Barbados
Barbados

Phone
+1-246-467-6000
Email
wfp.caribbean@wfp.org
For media inquiries
wfp.caribbean@wfp.org
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