Cuba 2026
Foreign investment in Cuba's agrifood sector is a strategic pillar for the country's economic and social development, as well as for strengthening food security and generating sustainable foreign exchange earnings. In this context, Cuba – historically recognized for the quality of its coffee and honey – has requested FAO's technical support, under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, in the preparation of two investment notes in 2026 focused on these value chains.
Unlike the value chains presented in 2024, which were primarily focused on increasing production, the new investment opportunities explicitly target international markets, with the objective of positioning high-quality Cuban products– such as coffee and honey – in premium and diversified market segments. For honey, the strategy prioritizes diversification into high-value products, including propolis, pollen, and nutraceuticals, while strengthening certifications such as organic and geographical indication. For coffee, the investment opportunity adopts a "farm-to-cup" approach, incorporating innovations in processing, digital traceability, and the development of export-oriented brands.
Both initiatives promote sustainable and resilient value chains while expanding opportunities for women and young people to participate in higher value-added activities. They also build on the discussions initiated by Cuba during the Coffee Roundtable at the 2025 Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, reinforcing an investment agenda aligned with greater international market integration and the productive transformation of the agrifood sector.
Geospatial Typologies
Agro-informatics connects information technology with the management, analysis and application of agricultural data to indentify territories with untapped agrifood potential and design more accurate and targeted agrifood interventions. The use of new technologies and techniques in agriculture, such as satellite imagery, remote sensing, and geographic information systems, enable the transformation of data into actionable information.
POVERTY
POTENTIAL
EFFICIENCY
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Investment cases in the country
Investment cases and interventions
Coffee
INVESTMENT
USD 51M
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (%)
24%
NET PRESENT VALUE
USD 44M
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
1,500
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES
20,000
INCOME INCREASE PER family
4,673 USD/person
EMISSION REDUTION (EXACT)
--Kg TCO2-E/Kg
Cuba has a long-standing coffee-growing tradition concentrated in the country's eastern region, with significant potential to expand and modernize production through the rehabilitation of up to 5,000 hectares of Arabica and Robusta coffee plantations over the next five years.
While the coffee value chain faces challenges related to productivity, processing, and access to high-value markets, it offers strong opportunities to increase production, substitute imports, and reposition Cuban coffee in premium international markets. Within this context, the proposed "farm-to-cup" approach aims to strengthen the entire value chain by modernizing post-harvest processing – including pulping, differentiated fermentation, and drying – upgrading the roasting and packaging facility in Contramaestre, and developing national brands for both domestic and export markets.
The proposed investment totals approximately USD 51 million and includes productive and industrial infrastructure, as well as digital traceability and certification systems. The initiative is expected to increase processed coffee production from 2,000 to 5,000 tonnes per year, double exports to 2,500 tonnes annually, and significantly expand the domestic market.
The investment requires USD 51.2 million, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 23.8% and a net present value (NPV) of USD 43.6 million. It will directly benefit 1,500 coffee-growing households, create 450 direct jobs, and increase average household incomes by approximately USD 4,673 per family. The initiative will also generate new opportunities for women and young people in nursery management, post-harvest operations, quality control, and digital traceability.
Honey
INVESTMENT
USD 33M
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (%)
29%
NET PRESENT VALUE
USD 20M
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
2,100
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES
6,300
INCOME INCREASE PER CAPITA
1,545 USD/person
EMISSION REDUTION (EXACT)
--Kg TCO2-E/Kg
uba has a well-established beekeeping sector, with approximately 241,000 beehives and around 45,000 hectares dedicated to apiculture, with the potential to expand to 65,000 hectares through melliferous reforestation programmes and the certification of organic production areas.
Cuban honey enjoys strong international recognition and has significant potential to reposition itself in premium markets across the European Union, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Middle East through differentiation based on origin and quality. Against this backdrop, opportunities exist to increase value addition by diversifying into high-value bee products – including pollen, propolis, royal jelly, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals – while developing premium retail products and strengthening traceability and certification systems, including organic, geographical indication, and Halal certification.
The proposed investment focus on modernizing both the production base (USD 13 million) and processing capacity (USD 11 million), including the renewal of beekeeping equipment, the upgrading of honey processing and packaging facilities, and the strengthening of logistics infrastructure. The initiative also integrates innovation, digitalization, and the energy transition, while promoting the inclusion of women (30–35%) and young people (approximately 25%).
The investment requires USD 24 million, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 30.2% and a net present value (NPV) of USD 27.7 million. It is expected to directly benefit 2,100 beekeeping households, create 1,050 direct jobs, and increase household incomes by approximately USD 1,545 per family.
Resources
FAO's Hand-in-Hand Initiative
21/12/2023
The Hand-in-Hand (HIH) Initiative supports the implementation of nationally led, ambitious programmes to accelerate agrifood systems transformations...
In the Media
Contacts
For more information, please contact the Hand-in-Hand team