Agriculture, or rather: food security

Agriculture, or rather: food security

April 10, 2026

Another conference that recently took place, but which I did not attend—the one on March 30, 2026—was held in the auditorium of my former employer, the University of Curaçao. There, the Economists’ Club placed the issue of food security on the agenda. Following this, a press release was issued by the Dutch Caribbean Economists.

In itself, this is a welcome variation from the dominant theme of tourism and economic development—read: growth. At first glance, the reason seems obvious: geopolitical tensions, climate change, and rising prices. But food security has been on the international agenda for years. It is therefore particularly striking that this topic is only now being explicitly addressed here. What I also miss is the classic, yet still relevant, argument of foreign exchange savings.

During the meeting, it was once again confirmed that Curaçao imports more than 90% of its food. That fact alone should create sufficient urgency. The four pillars of food security—availability, accessibility, quality, and stability—were discussed, along with various future scenarios: from “business as usual” to technological transformation and niche production for export. It is valuable, but as was also acknowledged, it remains largely a matter of perception.

And yet, in my view, a fundamental discussion is missing: that of agricultural land. Not in abstract terms, but within the concrete context of our economy. An economy that is increasingly taking on the characteristics of a mono-economy, driven by tourism. That sector absorbs not only labor and capital, but also space—land that is scarce and therefore strategic. At the same time, that very tourism sector represents a potential market for local agricultural products. This tension remains underexplored.

No indirect link was made to the harvest festival, the Seú, which took place this year on Easter Monday, April 6. I could repeat my annual critique of this cultural phenomenon, but by now that critique is widely shared. More interesting is a recent development: a local bank that purchased crops and distributed them among participating groups, in order to maintain some connection to agriculture. It is a well-intentioned gesture, but at the same time illustrative.

It underscores how wide the gap still is between talking about food security and actually organizing it. We still seem to be in a phase of symbolism and awareness, while the structural questions—about land, production capacity, logistics, and financing—remain insufficiently addressed.

Food security is not an abstract policy goal. It is a matter of organizational capacity. And that is precisely where the real challenge lies.

Miguel Goede