Dominican Republic and Japan launch RD$4.2 billion investment to modernize agriculture

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has launched a RD$4.2 billion investment project to strengthen agricultural value chains and improve the processing, distribution and marketing of food products nationwide.

The initiative, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and Economy, Agricultural Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was presented Wednesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Financed through a loan agreement signed in April 2025, the project will cover more than 30 strategic crops and agricultural products, including grains, vegetables, fruits, coffee and livestock. It will support improvements in post-harvest handling, storage, processing, distribution and marketing.

Through the Agricultural Bank, preferential financing will be available to producers, agricultural businesses, cooperatives and companies involved in food packaging, storage and processing. The project will also provide assistance with business plans and management training, with special attention to women and young people.

Rice will be a priority, with investments aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, improving productivity and strengthening the quality and marketability of the crop. Planned measures include agricultural mechanization, financing for machinery service providers and the development of “smart rice centers” to improve milling, distribution and marketing.

The government said the initiative strengthens cooperation between the Dominican Republic and Japan while supporting the modernization of the country’s agricultural sector and promoting greater productivity, competitiveness, inclusion and sustainability.