Agriculture Is the Future

Agriculture Is the Future

June 2, 2026

I recently wrote three articles about agriculture and food security (Goede, 2025a; Goede, 2025b; Goede, 2025c). In those articles, I argued that Curaçao rarely considers the agricultural sector as a new economic pillar in the diversification of our economy, which remains heavily dependent on tourism.

I also argued that agriculture certainly offers opportunities, but not in the way some people imagine. It is unrealistic to expect the agricultural sector to grow into a major economic engine capable of carrying the economy in the short term. My point was much simpler: it should be possible to significantly increase our current agricultural production, which remains very low. If we were able to double local production, that alone would represent a major step forward.

That is why I am pleased to see the growing discussion and the concrete initiatives now emerging around food security. The subject finally seems to be receiving the attention it deserves.

Today, the Antilliaans Dagblad reported on the establishment of the CariFoodFund, an initiative aimed at strengthening food production and food security throughout the Caribbean part of the Kingdom (Antilliaans Dagblad, 2026a). In the same newspaper, Benjamin Visser writes about food security in Curaçao (Visser, 2026).

I was reminded that in December 2021, I had the privilege of presenting Benjamin Visser with the Caribbean Society 5.0 Award in recognition of his work in this field during the pandemic (NU.cw, 2021). For years, he has advocated for food security, local production, and reducing dependence on imported food. It is encouraging to see that ideas once discussed by only a small group are now gaining broader support.

I therefore believe that the time has come to look differently at the agricultural sector. Not as a relic of the past or as a hobby for a few enthusiasts, but as a sector that can contribute to food security, economic resilience, public health, and sustainability.

This development will undoubtedly involve setbacks and challenges. Not every initiative will succeed, and not every investment will produce immediate results. However, every successful economic sector began somewhere.

I therefore remain optimistic about these developments. We may be witnessing the beginning of a long process, but one that has the potential to make Curaçao stronger, less vulnerable, and better prepared for the challenges of the future.

Miguel Goede

References

Antilliaans Dagblad. (2026, June 2). Oprichting CariFoodFund gestart.

Goede, M. (2025a). Agriculture as a new economic sector. LinkedIn.

Goede, M. (2025b). Agriculture or rather food security? LinkedIn.

Goede, M. (2025c). Agriculture in Curaçao: From an underestimated activity to a strategic opportunity. LinkedIn.

NU.cw. (2021, December 15). Caribbean Society 5.0 Award voor Benjamin Visser.

Visser, B. (2026, June 2). Voedselzekerheid op Curaçao. Antilliaans Dagblad.